No hard evidence exists that the apparel firm of Hollister officially supports Israel in the Israel-Palestine war. Hollister does not appear in any of the public documents or boycott lists that list businesses to support or engage in Israel. However, keep in mind that the clothing firm itself has nothing to do with the city of Hollister (not the brand) calling for a truce in the Israel-Gaza war. Although the apparel brand Hollister has not been directly linked to these accusations, certain activist groups have accused a corporation called “Hollister” or related entities of being involved in military supply.
History of Hollister
The first Hollister store was opened in Columbus, the Easton Town Center, on July 27, 2000. Subsequently, four other test stores were established at Paramus, New Jersey; Overland Park, Kansas; Buford, Georgia; and Canoga Park, California. Although the Hollister Co. was founded in 2000, Abercrombie and Fitch has created a legend about its founder. John Hollister, Sr., left the city of New York and traveled to the Dutch East Indies, and after coming back to the United States in 1922, he started the business that is named after him when he moved to California. In mid-January 2006, the company entered the Canadian market when Abercrombie and Fitch and Hollister Co. opened their stores in Toronto, Ontario.
In order to play live feeds from Surf City, Huntington Beach, California, Abercrombie & Fitch Co. invested over US$10 million beginning in the summer of 2007 to erect video walls at Hollister Co. stores across the country. For the cameras on the Huntington Beach Pier, Hollister reimburses the city of Huntington Beach. The first Hollister Co. store outside of North America opened its doors in Brent Cross, London, on October 25, 2008. Hollister Co. launched its second location in the UK at Westfield, London, in December 2008, and its third location at the upscale Bluewater shopping center in Kent, UK. Since the UK HCo outlets in London were successful, on May 14, 2009, the first store outside of London was opened by Hollister within the WestQuay Shopping Center of Southampton. It has five outlets in the UK, the latest one being in Milton Keynes, which was opened at the beginning of 2010.
Credit: mallatmillenia
Why brand stances on Israel matter?
Customers are also being urged to avoid buying products of companies such as Starbucks and McDonald’s online as well as offline, since they are perceived to be sponsoring the current military campaign waged by Israel in Gaza that has already killed at least 28,000 Palestinians in the process. The boycotts pay tribute to the greater Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign, led by Palestinians, to put pressure on the world to force Israel to leave the Palestinian land. The most noticeable international companies that have been affected by the conflict in Gaza between Israel and Palestine are probably McDonald’s and Starbucks; however, they are not spared either. During an earnings call this month, Starbucks CEO Laxman Narasimhan had told the analysts that its share price had fallen because the company had experienced poor sales during the first month of 2024. He said that “events in the Middle East also had an impact in the US, driven by misperceptions about our position,” and that “we saw a negative impact on our business in the Middle East.”
With the intensifying international debate on whether or not to boycott Israeli products, Islamic leaders recommend Muslims avoid Israeli firms due to the importance of Masjid Al Aqsa in Islamic history. The boycott of Israeli products and companies that sponsor Israel has attracted international attention to the boycott movement. People should boycott and denounce companies that fund Israel.
Credit: eco-stylist
Overview of the Israel-Palestine conflict and consumer activism
The continued struggle in Gaza has seen millions of people displaced, a number of them die, and millions of others who support the Palestinian people feel powerless. Most individuals have been able to voice their dissatisfaction via demonstrations all over the globe, but political opinion is either banned or disheartened in most countries. Consumers have an opportunity to express themselves with boycotts by refusing to buy products that they see as pro-Israel. Starbucks, McDonald’s, and other popular American corporations have become the target of accusations because of their supposed support of Israel and its war against Gaza. McDonald’s was criticized for giving the Israeli army free lunches, and Starbucks was engaged in a legal dispute with a labor union regarding a pro-Palestine message.
The history of consumer boycotts of Western-based companies is long and often culturally, religiously, and politically provoked in the Middle East. The Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) Movement is an advocacy that supports boycotting Israeli goods and services, selling off Israeli businesses, and sanctioning the Israeli government as a result of Israel-Palestinian treatment. Just like the anti-apartheid movement, the idea was formulated back in 2001 at a World Conference against Racism in South Africa.
What is known about Hollister’s corporate position?
No official or publicly released position of the business stance of Hollister on the Israel-Palestine issue exists. The clothing brand, Hollister, has no explicit or formal expressions in support of Israel or taking a stance in the conflict. Unlike some other global brands, Hollister has not been overtly linked to political or financial backing of actions by the Israeli government, and is not listed on lists of boycotts related to pro-Israel feelings. It seems that Hollister does not express a specific or non-public position on this very geopolitical question, as there are no official statements and confirmed participation in the controversies related to the conflict. The tendency of many fashion retailers not to take a specific political stance that would push off a certain portion of their clients is quite common; hence, this non-involvement or non-openness is quite commonplace.
Credit: Gabbi Shaw/Insider
How to verify corporate positions on controversial issues?
Look into the statements and behavior principles of the company. Hollister has a Supplier Code of Conduct, which outlines the principles the company has in its social responsibility and ethical business practices, and what the company expects the supply chain to be in terms of diversity and regulations. Sections on business mission and social effect on their official website may also reflect their current positions. Examine public statements of regret and reactions to previous disputes. For instance, Hollister promised diversity assessments and initiatives and issued a public apology following racist tweets and model conduct scandals in South Korea. Examining these public statements aids in confirming how they handle problems.
Examine court documents and news articles about lawsuits or allegations of discrimination against Hollister. A lawsuit concerning religious discrimination in relation to hijab policies and an ADA lawsuit mandating retail accessibility modifications are examples of previous cases. To understand public and regulatory criticism, look at third-party reports, advocacy groups’ statements, and press reports on what the company in Hollister has done. The Supplier Code of Conduct of the company refers to the audits, documentation requests, and the right of the company to inspect the facilities of the suppliers to ascertain the adherence to the values of the company, Hollister.
Unlike some other brands that have openly taken positions or been targeted for business activities in Israel, Hollister has no corporate communications or public records. This reaction indicates support for Israel or engagement that would put them in controversy surrounding this geopolitical issue.
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