Key Takeaways
- Just over half of U.S. shoppers stopped buying from a company over its political stance in the past year, up from 30% in 2024, and Democratic-leaning shoppers (64%) boycotted at higher rates than Republican-leaning shoppers (47%).
- Political alignment also drives spending, since 64% of shoppers would pay more for products from companies that share their beliefs, but disclosure alone won’t earn trust because 35% say it depends on who receives a company’s donations.
Political boycotts are on the rise as just over half of U.S. shoppers stopped buying from a company because of its political stance in the past year, up from 30% in 2024, according to a new survey from SmartCustomer and Goods Unite Us.
The survey found 67% of shoppers take into consideration a company’s politics influences what they buy. And leading up to the November midterm elections being held today, nearly four in ten shoppers (39%) say they intend to make a more conscious effort to align their spending with their political beliefs.
Boycott rates vary by party— for shoppers who lean Democratic, 64% stopped buying from a company because of its political stance in the past year compared with 47% of those who lean Republican and 32% of those who lean toward neither party doing so.
How Is Corporate Political Activity Shaping Consumer Behavior?
The findings show that corporate political activity is becoming a more consequential factor in consumer behavior, influencing not only which companies shoppers support or avoid, but also how much they are willing to pay and what they expect businesses to disclose.
“A lot has changed in the last two years,” said Michael Lai, CEO of SmartCustomer in a statement. “More people now see their wallet as one of the most direct ways to make an impact, and they’re deciding where to spend based on what a company stands for.”
Will Shoppers Pay More to Support Companies That Share Their Values?
Political alignment drives purchases as well as boycotts: 47% of respondents bought from a company in the past year to support its political stance. Six in ten say a company’s political affiliation would play a greater role in their purchasing decisions if it were easier to see while shopping. Additionally, nearly two-thirds (64%) would pay more for a product from a company whose political beliefs align with their own, including 43% willing to pay at least 6% more for an otherwise equal-quality product.
As shoppers increasingly factor political views into purchasing decisions, many want greater visibility into companies’ political activity. Fifty three percent want companies to be more transparent about their political positions, and the share who want those positions kept private fell to to 22% from 41% in 2024 .
“Shoppers are treating their purchases as a reflection of their values,” said Brian Potts, founder of Goods Unite Us. “People should have an accessible way to learn what their purchases support.”
How Does Party Affiliation Shape Views on Corporate Transparency?
Views on corporate transparency split along party lines as well. For Democratic leaning shoppers, 68% want companies to be more open about their political positions compared with 46% of those who lean Republican. Shoppers who lean Republican are more likely to want those positions kept private (31% vs. 12%).
Still, for many shoppers, who a company supports matters more than whether it discloses: only about one in five (22%) said they would trust a company more regardless of which candidates or causes received its political donations. The largest share, 35%, said their trust would depend on the recipients.
“Consumers want transparency, but disclosure alone does not guarantee trust,” said Lai. “What shoppers are asking for is the information they need to make purchase decisions they feel confident in.”
