McDonald’s chief says anti-Israel boycotts are hurting sales in the Middle East

The chief of fast-food giant McDonald's said on Friday that “misinformation” about McDonald’s support for Israel is having a “meaningful impact” on its sales in the Middle East.

Chris Kempczinski said calls from pro-Palestinian groups to boycott McDonald’s over the war on Gaza were harming operations, according to UK daily The Telegraph.

McDonald’s has been targeted by pro-Palestinian campaigners after photos and videos on social media showed franchised stores in Israel giving free meals to soldiers during the bombardment of Gaza.

The Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement, a pro-Palestinian organisation, called for people to boycott McDonald’s in November after franchisees “openly supported” the Israeli military.

Kempczinski said in a blog post on LinkedIn published on Thursday: “Several markets in the Middle East and some outside the region are experiencing a meaningful business impact due to the war and associated misinformation that is affecting brands like McDonald’s.

“This is disheartening and ill-founded. In every country where we operate, including in Muslim countries, McDonald’s is proudly represented by local owner operators who work tirelessly to serve and support their communities while employing thousands of their fellow citizens.”

There was no further information on the magnitude of the sales hit in the Middle East. McDonald’s does not publicly provide sales figures in the region.