Pizza Hut Faces Global Boycott Amidst Allegations of Providing Free Meals to Israeli Soldiers

Pizza Hut is encountering widespread consumer boycotts following allegations that the chain supplied free meals to soldiers on Israeli military bases.

On January 19, Pizza Hut Israel shared an Instagram story from user @alex_shults, showcasing two soldiers happily holding stacks of Pizza Hut pizza boxes, suggesting that the chain had offered complimentary meals to the military personnel. The story, visible on Instagram for 24 hours, has since expired.

Advocacy groups have been promoting boycotts against brands perceived to support Israel, including Starbucks. The coffee giant faced protests and boycotts from union members after legal action was taken over social media posts expressing support for the Palestinian people on a union account.

As of now, Pizza Hut has not issued a public response to the boycotts or confirmed whether the pizzas were indeed provided to soldiers for free.

This is not the first time Pizza Hut Israel has faced a boycott. In May 2017, the chain received criticism for an online advertisement that appeared to mock Palestinian prisoners on a hunger strike. The ad used a photoshopped image of a prisoner enjoying Pizza Hut pizza in his cell.

In response to the ad, social media users and advocacy groups, including the BDS movement, initiated the hashtag #boycott_pizzahut.

Pizza Hut later removed the ad, issued an apology, and reportedly terminated its contract with the PR firm responsible for creating the controversial advertisement.