The Keurig Dr Pepper (KDP) is criticized by critics and the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) Movement for its possession of CBC, tacitly supporting the Israeli settlements, and justifying the occupation. This raises the question: Does Dr Pepper support Israel? Even though Dr Pepper isn’t sold in Israel, boycott initiatives that support consumer pressure against businesses associated with Israeli settlements have targeted KDP because of its financial ties through CBC. The ethical issues are made more difficult by the fact that CBC also employs more than 1,000 Palestinians.
Introduction to Dr. Pepper
Dr Pepper is a soft carbonated beverage. Made in the 1880s by American pharmacist Charles Alderton in Waco, Texas, and initially sold countrywide in the US in 1904, Dr Pepper is a drink produced by the similarly named soft drink company. It is manufactured and marketed by a number of companies, depending on the country: PepsiCo in the different countries, The Coca-Cola Company in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Japan, and South Korea, and Keurig Dr Pepper in the United States.
One of the variations is Diet Dr Pepper, and in the 2000s, there was the introduction of a variety of other flavors. In 1885, the term “Dr. Pepper” was first utilized for commercial purposes. It was a year before Coca-Cola was introduced. In 1904, Dr Pepper made its national debut at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition. After quickly learning about Alderton’s novel beverage, customers at Morrison’s soda fountain started placing orders for “Wacos.” Morrison received the formula from Alderton and called it Dr. Pepper.
What is the history behind the Dr. Pepper name?
The drink was named after a real doctor, Charles T. Pepper of Rural Retreat, Virginia, according to a frequently mentioned idea. It’s possible that Morrison named the drink after the doctor as a token of appreciation for Pepper giving him his first job.
Dr Pepper claimed that 6.5-oz. Cokes were a hindrance to trade and were sold below cost when it filed a $750,000 lawsuit against the Coca-Cola business in 1951.
How many flavors are there in Dr. Pepper?
A red-hued, cherry-flavored kind. In the 122-year history of the company, it was the first new taste to be added to the Dr. Pepper beverage family. It was produced as part of a “variety expansions” trend that also included Cadbury-Schweppes’ own DnL and rival Pepsi Blue. Similar to these beverages, Red Fusion was a commercial failure and was phased out in 2004. One with a cherry vanilla flavor.
The first of Dr Pepper’s planned “Soda Fountain Classics” series of beverages, which aims to taste like classic soda fountain drinks from the 1950s, was first made available in select areas on October 15, 2004. Following the introduction of Dr Pepper Cherry, Dr Pepper Cherry Vanilla became exclusive to some regions. Additionally, it is present in Coca-Cola Freestyle machines that substitute Dr Pepper for Pibb Xtra.
Heritage Dr Pepper was replaced by a sugar-sweetened variant in the summer of 2010 to mark the drink’s 125th anniversary as a permanent variation. Six collectible 12-ounce cans and a 20-ounce plastic bottle adorned with Dr Pepper’s vintage 1960s slogans and imagery were included in this version of the beverage. Heritage Dr Pepper became the de facto substitute for Dublin Dr Pepper once it was withdrawn.
Boycott campaign against Dr. Pepper
Among the main justifications for the boycott are
- The Central Bottling Company (CBC), a significant beverage distributor in Israel with factories in illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank, is owned by KDP to the tune of 30%. Profits from CBC are seen as aiding the occupation, and these settlements are regarded as breaches of international law.
- This financial connection between CBC and the boycott campaign is indirect support as a result of maintaining the infrastructure to sustain the Israeli settlements and the occupation of Palestinian territory.
Boycotting would affect Palestinian living conditions, so critics mention that CBC has over 1,000 Palestinian workers to complicate the ethical issue.
How were Dr. Pepper sales affected by the boycott?
The parent company of Dr Pepper, Keurig Dr Pepper, has forecast robust demand and revenue growth in 2025, primarily because of its premium ready-to-drink beverages and energy drinks in the US market. For example, Keurig Dr Pepper exceeded Wall Street’s forecasts in the second quarter of 2025 by reporting net sales growth of almost 6%, while Brand Dr Pepper volume sales increased by 1.2% and dollar growth increased by 6.1%.
Industry analysts point out that although boycott calls have the potential to alter demand trends and harm a brand’s reputation, they haven’t yet caused significant financial harm to well-known beverage businesses like Keurig Dr Pepper. Additionally, the business has profited from the launch of new products and the purchase of well-known energy drink companies like Ghost, which have increased overall sales.
However, regional consumer boycotts (not of Dr Pepper specifically, but of American products) and geopolitical tensions and trade tariffs, like those imposed by President Trump’s administration, do present threats and complicate their markets, particularly in Mexico and Canada.
Distribution areas of Dr. Pepper
Currently, Keurig Dr Pepper bottles and distributes its drinks in over 30 US states and Canada using its own bottling company. Although there are a few regional outliers, Coca-Cola and Pepsi have essentially discontinued bottling and distributing Cadbury-Schweppes goods in favor of in-house alternatives. Although Cadbury-Schweppes presently distributes the product through Orangina Schweppes, they licensed the distribution rights to PepsiCo in Poland.
Cadbury-Schweppes is the trademark owner and product distributor in Mexico, Germany, Sweden, the Netherlands, Slovakia, Austria, the Czech Republic, Belgium, and Norway. The drink is bottled in Finland by Sinebrychoff, which also bottles goods for the Coca-Cola Company.
Dr Pepper is sold in South Korea, Ukraine, and Russia (although it is imported, usually from Poland; local bottling is not done). Dr Pepper is imported and sold by United States Foods and numerous other small shops in Australia, despite no longer being locally bottled in Australia or New Zealand.
The UK (sugar) version is available in the British sections of Coles and Woolworths supermarkets. In Serbia, Dr Pepper and Dr Pepper Cherry are only sold in 0.33 L cans at specific NIS and Gazprom gas stations. North Korea and Thailand do not carry Dr Pepper. With an office in Sunter, North Jakarta, PT Citra Gourmand Prima (previously PT Armasco Prima) imports it for sale in Indonesia.
Claims that Dr Pepper gives directly to the Israeli military have also gone viral on social media, although they have been disproved as false information. Although CBC continues to provide the military, the corporation itself has no direct military connections. In this context, the argument over whether to boycott Dr Pepper centers on opposing Israeli settlement profits vs worries about possible job losses for Palestinians at CBC.
