McDonald’s boycott launched over prices, pay and diversity backlash

Credit: refrina / Shutterstock.com

Updated 24 June 2025 at 18:00 BST: McDonald’s Corporation issues response to New Food request for comment.

McDonald’s is facing renewed scrutiny as a grassroots advocacy group launches a nationwide boycott of the chain, running from June 24 to 30.

The campaign, led by The People’s Union USA, seeks to hold the corporation accountable on multiple fronts, including alleged price gouging, tax evasion, unfair labour practices and a recent rollback of its diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies.

The boycott, which began today, is the latest in a series of consumer-led economic actions organised by The People’s Union, a self-described “grassroots movement focused on economic resistance, corporate accountability and real justice for the working class.”

In a statement posted to Instagram, the group said:

This is about more than burgers and fries. This is about power. When we unite and hit corporations in their wallets, they listen.”

“Profit matters more than people”

Since February, The People’s Union has led boycotts targeting Amazon, Walmart and Target, along with broader “economic blackouts” urging Americans to avoid major retailers, streaming services and fast-food chains in favour of local small businesses.

Now, McDonald’s is firmly in the group’s sights. Organiser and founder of the group John Schwarz told USA TODAY:

We’re boycotting McDonald’s because they’ve shown time and time again that profit matters more than people, from price gouging to tax evasion, from inequality in pay to exploitation in advertising.

And yes, their DEI efforts feel more like promotional stunts than real systemic change. We’re done funding companies that pretend to stand for something while doing nothing.”

Ongoing challenges for McDonald’s

The boycott comes at a sensitive time for McDonald’s. The company is still dealing with the fallout from a 2024 E. coli outbreak linked to its Quarter Pounders. In January, it also faced sharp criticism for scaling back its DEI initiatives. These changes included dropping “aspirational representational goals” in hiring, ending participation in third-party workplace surveys and rebranding its Diversity Team as the “Global Inclusion Team.”

Despite these moves, McDonald’s maintains that its commitment to diversity remains strong. Earlier this month, Jordann Nunn, Chief Field People Officer, said:

We changed some of the language that we’ve used around it, but at the core, none of our programming has changed. We have no intention of doing that.”

Critics remain unconvinced. The People’s Union argues that McDonald’s actions reflect a broader corporate trend of rolling back progress under the guise of policy refinement.

The group has also hinted at upcoming actions against other major corporations. A nationwide “economic blackout” is scheduled for July, followed by month-long boycotts targeting Starbucks, Amazon, Home Depot, Walmart and Lowe’s. McDonald’s is also included in the August boycott list.

McDonald’s response to the alleged claims (Update)

In response to a request for comment from New Food, McDonald’s Corporation issued the following statement:

As a brand that serves millions of people every day, McDonald’s opens our doors to everyone, and our commitment to inclusion remains steadfast.

Alongside our 2,000 local franchisees across the US, McDonald’s provides meaningful work opportunities for over 800,000 restaurant crew, spends millions with local suppliers, and serves as an engine of economic opportunity for local communities. The McDonald’s System also generates billions in federal, state and local taxes annually, and we’ll continue to pay our fair share.

We welcome honest dialogue with the communities we serve, but we’re disappointed to see these misleading claims that distort our values and misrepresent our actions. Our focus remains on serving our customers and communities. We’re here and ready to serve.”