Should you stop buying Oreos?
Maybe.
By Timothy Workman
Oreos are killing rainforests—so you should stop buying them, right?
It depends.
Boycotting has a tried and true history, and it’s very much in vogue. In the 1980s, our very first campaign was a boycott against Burger King, which was sourcing beef from cattle ranchers who were destroying rainforests in Central America.
Our “Whopper-Stopper Month” helped reduce Burger King’s foot traffic, delivering a huge financial blow that forced them to cancel a $35 million contract with Costa Rican beef suppliers.
Our boycott was effective because it was coordinated, involving lots of consumers, grassroots activists, organizing, and street actions. It was much different from ethical consumerism, or when individuals make private consumption choices that align with their values.
Ethical consumerism can be very rewarding and powerful: What we consume can improve our sense of responsibility and connectedness to the world, strengthen our morals, and help us provide a positive role model for others.
But the belief that individual, uncoordinated consumption choices can change the world is unfounded, and may even cause unnecessary psychological distress.
It’s very hard to make ethical choices when choice is so limited—about ten companies control everything we buy, and many consumers face structural constraints, including poverty, that limit their choices even further.
Corporations want us to believe that we can change the world with our wallets: It makes them a lot of money, and it means they don’t have to put in any real effort. But corporations should be in the hot seat, not you. After all, they’re in a position to do way more.
So go ahead and enjoy your Oreos, or don’t. We’ll let you know when to bring your wallet to the protest.
Oreos aren't the healthiest thing in the world-- why eat them often anyway?
More concerning is something I read the other day, that palm oil is used in animal feed. Personally it would be great to avoid meat that were fed with palm oil products.
There is also another reason that our family doesn't buy Oreos. They were made in the USA and Nabisco moved their production to Mexico several years ago and good union USA jobs were lost. I always check Nabisco products to see where they are made. Ritz crackers are also made in Mexico, so we do not purchase them either. There are other cookies just like Oreos and Ritz crackers that are made in the USA.