Can you really boycott Pepsi?

Earlier this week, Pepsi released a commercial depicting Kendall Jenner defusing a standoff between police officers and protesters by giving one of the officers a can of Pepsi.

The above-mentioned Pepsi ad.

Pepsi, and it’s ad, was immediately criticized across the web for their tone-deaf attempt to capitalize on the various protests that have occurred since Trump took office.

Twitter users were quick to point out the obvious idealization of police treatment of protesters and the absurdity of a soda being the solution to this controversial issue.

Internet users were also quick to call for boycotts of Pepsi, however is it even possible for the average consumer to boycott such a large, multinational company?

The answer: it’s complicated.

Pepsi sodas, and all its derivations, are owned by Pepsico an international conglomeration that reports revenues close to $67 million annually. Along with Pepsi sodas, Pepsico owns other house-hold brand names such as Frito-Lay chips (Lays, Cheetos, Doritos), Tropicana Juices, Gatorade beverages, Quaker Oats, and Starbucks’ ready made beverages, to name a few.

In our increasingly interconnected world, individual product lines are often owned by much larger subsidiary holding companies. These conglomerates often possess stakes in various aspects of their industry, or even completely unrelated industries. This is a direct result of increased concentration of companies competing at a global level.

As these companies become larger the barrier to entry, or difficulty of new businesses entering the market, grows steady alongside the company’s revenue. With only so many consumers available in any given market, the conglomeration’s ease of distribution, ability to market widely, and name brand recognition all conspire together to maintain the chip or beverage market’s status quo.

Once a market is dominated by a handful of large companies, known as an oligopoly, those at the top are able to stifle new competitors and maintain a much more controlled marketplace.

Should an individual want to boycott Pepsico in response to their most recent advertisement, an amount of research would be required correctly identify products that are found across the super market from the soft drinks, yet still owned by Pepsico.

A quick look at Pepsico’s website yields a list of their brands (ignoring variations of items):

1. Pepsi/Diet Pepsi/Pepsi Max
2. Lay’s Chips
3. Mountain Dew
4. Gatorade
5. Propel
6. Tropicana
7. 7-Up
8. Doritos
9. Quaker Oats
10. Cheetos
11. Lipton
12. Ruffles
13. Tostitos
14. Brisk
15. Sierra Mist
16. Fritos
17. Starbucks Ready-To-Drink Beverages
18. Walker’s (Chips)
19. KeVita (probiotic and kombucha beverages)
20. Aquafina
21. SunBites (Thailand)
22. Naked Juice
23. Sabra Hummus
24. SoBe lifewater
25. Stacy’s Pita Chips
26. H20H! Water
27. Sabritas Yedigun (Chips)

The above list covers all of the independently marketed products owned by Pepsico and reveals a portfolio of products that can be found dispersed throughout your local grocery store.

However, boycotting a company such as Pepsico is far from impossible and merely requires a keen eye while out shopping.