PepsiCo responds to #BoycottPepsi over campaign contributions

A day after #BoycottPepsi began trending, PepsiCo attempted to clear the air regarding the controversy that led to the hashtag. That controversy grew from a report published Monday by progressive news outlet Popular Information. According to the report, PepsiCo donated $15,000 to the Texas GOP. According to Popular Information, “the money will support the reelection of… Republicans in the state legislature, Governor Abbott, and Lt. Governor Dan Patrick.”

The timing of when the donation was made is in dispute. Popular Information claims the donation occurred Aug. 5, 2021. However, in a statement obtained by Straight Arrow News Tuesday, PepsiCo said the donation was made in 2020 and “was not processed until August 2021.”

“As a result, the donation was recorded then and disclosed in a recent filing,” PepsiCo said. “No further donations have been made to either Texas state political party since 2020. Any reports to the contrary are incorrect.”

The report kicked #BoycottPepsi into gear, with many accusing PepsiCo of funding the state’s restrictive abortion law.

“Need ANOTHER reason to stop drinking Pepsi? @PepsiCo sent a big fat check to the GOP legislators who got the TEXAS ABORTION BILL passed,” one Twitter user said.

“In #Texas , the #GOP has gained control of women’s uteruses, but they can’t control consumers’ purchases, so let’s #BoycottPepsi . ALL #pepsico brands,” another added.

In addition to clarifying when the donation occurred, PepsiCo noted in its Tuesday statement that “during presidential election years, PepsiCo has typically made donations supporting both the Democratic and Republican conventions in several states.”

“In the summer of 2020, we donated to both the Democratic and Republican parties in Texas to support those state conventions,” PepsiCo said.