Despite the theoretical and practical interest in consumer boycotts, little in the way of an empirical literature has accumulated on this form of marketplace action. The present study surveyed news sources and participants in an effort to understand consumer boycotts which occurred in the United States in the 1970–1980 period. A total of 90 boycotts was identified and described. The findings indicate that boycotts have involved an unusually wide variety of protest groups, target organizations, and social concerns in cities and states in every region of the United States. They also appear to be on the increase. Some factors which may influence the success of boycotts are identified and discussed. Also discussed are ways in which consumer boycotts in the United States have changed and ways in which they have remained the same since the turn of the century. Of special interest here is the growing use of “surrogate boycotts” to deal with issues with origins outside of the marketplace.

Although consumer boycotts have been of considerable interest to theorists and practitioners, social scientific knowledge about them is limited. This article seeks to advance scholarly understanding by developing a taxonomy of boycott actions, and by identifying factors believed likely to influence their effectiveness in furthering the consumer interest as well as other interests. The analytical framework draws distinctions between media-oriented and marketplace-oriented boycotts as well as those against surrogate targets vs. nonsurrogate targets. The article presents an action-oriented research agenda and an assessment of the likely future for consumer boycotts in advancing the consumer interest.

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