June 17, 2010 - In the wake of the BP oil spill, now nearing the two-month mark and with no clear end in sight, many local residents are choosing to boycott BP products.
But just how effective is a boycott of BP gas? How educated are consumers' decisions to do so? And just who is being hurt by the boycott?
Keith, a manager at a Danbury BP station, said that the boycott of BP gas stations puts the burden on gas station owners, not on BP. "The only thing they are doing is punishing local business owners, none of which had anything to do with [the spill]", he said in an interview. "The boycott will have a direct effect on the American business owner and American shareholders."
Keith said that although they are still growing a customer base, as a newer station, he and the owner have seen a lag in growth.
I asked a few local BP customers about their decision to continue buying BP gas. A few gas buyers were unaware they were even purchasing gas from a BP station, admitting that they regretted doing so and that a boycott was the right thing to do. An anonymous BP gas buyer said that he had forgotten about the boycott and that he had stopped at that particular station because he had to fill up a rental car before returning it around the corner. "Everybody should boycott", he said. "Look at the mess they're making. I can't believe they can't stop it. When hurricane season comes, it's going to make everything even worse."
When asked if he felt if either BP or the government was evading responsibility for the spill, he said that he didn't keep up with the news. "I can't say who is to blame", he said.
A woman buying gas from a Brookfield BP station looked around and said, "Is this really BP?" when asked about her decision to buy BP gas. "It all depends on the price," she admitted. "I should be boycotting them but I'm not."
Only one BP customer whom I interviewed disagreed with the BP boycott -- Julie. She said that she could understand that people want to make a point, but her intention was to keep Bill, the station owner, in business. "He's a local business owner and I want to keep him in business", she said. "I get my car fixed here and I buy my gas here."
Although boycotts can be effective at sending a message to "big business", the impact on our local business owners, who had nothing to do with the oil spill, is being felt.
What's your opinion? Do you think that local consumers should boycott BP gas? Post your comments online at MercurialNews.com.
Read more at http://www.themercurial.com
Keith, a manager at a Danbury BP station, said that the boycott of BP gas stations puts the burden on gas station owners, not on BP. "The only thing they are doing is punishing local business owners, none of which had anything to do with [the spill]", he said in an interview. "The boycott will have a direct effect on the American business owner and American shareholders."
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