stands for Boycott

There are several different types of boycotts. Consumer boycotts ask individuals not to purchase Israeli products or from companies that are complicit in violations of Palestinian human rights. Academic, cultural, and sporting boycotts involve withdrawing support from complicit Israeli institutions. Apartheid Free Zones are how businesses or community groups can pledge to support the boycott.

• The Consumer Boycott
• Approaching Store Management About Israeli Products
• Academic and Cultural Boycott

The Consumer Boycott

This is one of the easiest ways that individuals can support the BDS movement in their daily lives, by making ethical purchasing decisions. Click on the buttons to the right to see what products you should boycott, why you should boycott them, and where these products are sold!

Do you want to take your consumer boycott to the next level? You can approach a store and ask that they stop putting certain products on their shelves. Click here for some tips and tricks on how to approach stores about these products!

What products should I boycott?

The full list of BDS brands and products to boycott includes thousands of companies. The global BDS movement is well aware that asking people to boycott every single brand with a connection to Israel is unfeasible. This is why the BDS movement has asked consumers to take a targeted approach to the economic boycott by targeting certain items and brands. This allows us to focus on a few brands at one time and maximize our efforts.

Click here to see the updated guidelines from the BDS National Committee on which companies to boycott (November 2023).

Click on the images below to jump to brands and items in the spotlight. In addition to priorities identified by the BDS National Committee, the below section also includes Canada-specific targets.

Produce

Fruits, vegetables and packaged foods from Israel are labeled as 'products of Israel', despite the produce coming from occupied Palestinian territories and stolen land. Do not buy produce that is exported from Israel and ask that these products are removed from store shelves.

Wine

Similar to produce coming from Israel, wines sold in stores are labeled as 'products of Israel', despite the grape farming, wine production, and bottling often being done on stolen land. Do not buy these products, and demand that they are removed from store shelves.

Quebec - SAQ

Ontario - LCBO

For other provinces and territories in Canada, do not buy the wine labels above, and make sure to always check for a "Product of Israel" label on the back. 

Sabra

Sabra hummus is a partnership between PepsiCo and the Strauss group, which is an Israeli food company that financially supports the Israeli army. 

Products sold at:

• Loblaws (Provigo)
• Shoppers drug mart
• Wal-Mart

• Costco
• Metro
• Many other local grocery stores

SodaStream

SodaStream is an Israeli company that is complicit in the displacement of Indigenous Bedouin-Palestinians from the Naqab (Negev) region of present-day Israel. SodaStream recently relocated its main production site, which was located on stolen Palestinian land in the Israeli settlement of Mishor Adumim (occupied West Bank), following BDS pressure.

Products sold at:

Puma

Puma is the Israel Football Association's main sponsor. The IFA has teams in Israeli settlements, which are illegal under International Law and considered war crimes, and in occupied Palestinian territories. Puma's association and support for the IFA makes it actively complicit in the creation of Israeli settlements, which lead to the forced displacement of Palestinian families from their homes. PUMA has indicated that it will not be renewing its IFA contract when it expires in December 2024, but the boycott will continue until then. 

Products sold at:

• Sport Chek
• Mark's
• Canadian Tire

• Foot Locker
• Walmart
• Sporting Life

• Hudson's Bay
• Sports Experts
• Costco

• SoftMoc
• Browns
• Other clothing, shoe, sports, and department stores

Ahava Dead Sea Laboratories 

AHAVA Dead Sea Laboratories Ltd. manufactures its cosmetics in a factory in the illegal Mitzpe Shalem settlement in the occupied West Bank, where it also has a visitor centre. Ahava exploits Palestinian natural resources by extracting mud from parts of the Dead Sea that are occupied by Israel. Meanwhile, Israel denies Palestinians access to the shores of the Dead Sea and its resources, despite one-third of the western shore of the Dead Sea lying in the occupied West Bank.   

Products sold at:

Indigo / Chapters Bookstores

Indigo Books & Music Inc. is the largest Canadian book retail chain. Founder and CEO Heather Reisman co-founded the HESEG Foundation for Lone Soldiers, which encourages foreigners to join the Israeli army and continue their studies in Israel.

Aldo

Aldo is a fashion retailer with headquarters in Montreal, which has locations in a mall in the Israeli settlement of Ramot in occupied East Jerusalem.

Aroma Espresso

Aroma Espresso is an Israeli chain with branches in Canada, which operates a location in the Israeli settlement of Maale Adumim in the occupied West Bank.

McDonalds

Palestinians have called for a boycott of McDonalds until it terminates its agreement with its Israeli franchisee, which donated meals to Israeli military personnel committing genocide in Gaza.

Starbucks

Starbucks faces a call for boycott because it is suing a labour union in the United States (Workers United) for posting a message of solidarity with Palestinians on social media.

Hewlett Packard (HP)

HP is famous for its laptops and software but few may know that HP provides technology for the Israeli military. HP plays an integral role in the Israeli navy and Israel’s ID card system, a tool used to discriminate against Palestinians. 

Product sold at :

• Staples
• Costco
• Wal-Mart

• Best Buy
• Grand and Toy
• Other local IT stores

More brands to boycott

Take your boycott to the next level! Below are big brands sold in Canada that are not part of the official BDS strategy or other major campaigns, but still contribute to the violation of Palestinian human rights.

Important Note: The 729 barcode is not a reliable indicator of an Israeli product. Historically, some have suggested that a barcode starting with 729 indicates a product of Israel. This is sometimes accurate, but not always. Israeli manufacturers try increasingly to obscure the origins of their products to prevent a boycott, which is why Israeli products sometimes have a non-729 barcode.  It's best to look for a "Product of Israel" label on the product or google the company/manufacturer. 

Packaged foods

Keter Plastic Products

Keter Plastic manufactures many of its products in the Jewish-only colonies of Barkan and Oranit in the West Bank. Keter specialises in plastic items such as garden furniture, shelves, boxes, etc. These products are sometimes distributed under the brand name Black & Decker Keter. For more info, check out our factsheet!

Products sold at:

Moroccanoil products

Moroccan oil is an Israeli beauty products company that has listed products as “Made in Israel” but refuses to disclose the location of its production facilities. For more info, check out our factsheet! 

Products sold at:

Selected FatMax products

Tool brand FatMax is a subsidiary of Stanley tools, and some of their products are made in Israel.  Keep in mind, however, that FatMax items are manufactured from around the world, and check the package for “Made in Israel” before placing your sticky note.  

Products sold at:

Wix.com Websites

Israeli startup Wix.com enables users to create free and low-cost websites. The web-platform was founded, and currently is headquartered in, Tel Aviv, one of the first Israeli settlements built in the early 20th century. 

Teva pharmaceutical products

As one of the world’s largest producer of generic drugs, Teva is a large contributor to Israel’s economy, and funds their defense force. Since the Israeli Ministry of Health only allows Israeli-registered drugs to be imported to the West Bank and Gaza strip, Palestinians are forced to rely on Israeli pharmaceuticals like Teva for their medication. Ask your pharmacist what other options – whether name-brand or generic drugs – are available when purchasing your medications.