Trinity College Dublin Student’s Union (TCDSU) is set to end its sponsorship agreement with Domino’s Pizza over issues regarding the company’s support to Israel.
On 11 December 2023, a post on the TCDSU Instagram page included Domino’s Pizza as a company to boycott due to their alleged “profiting from the genocide of the Palestinian people”. These allegations come from reports that Domino’s have provided free food to the Israeli military. Domino’s was listed alongside McDonald’s and Burger King as an “organic boycott target” in the Instagram post.
These various boycott targets come from the Palestinian-led movement, “Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions” (BDS), which promotes boycotts, divestment and economic sanctions against Israel.
However, there has since been public confusion over the Student Union’s stance towards the company due to Domino’s connection as a sponsor of TCDSU for over eight years now.
An article published in Trinity News on 9 January 2024 stated, “TCDSU to maintain Domino’s sponsorship despite alleging franchise is ‘profiting from genocide’”.
Communications & Marketing Officer for TCDSU, Aiesha Wong informed Trinity News that the union were unable to end their sponsorship agreement with Domino’s as its contract with the pizza franchise was set to run until 2027. Fear of a lawsuit from “a billion-dollar company”, Wong stated, left the Student’s Union to believe they had no choice but to continue its sponsorship with Domino’s.
On 12 January 2024, another article in Trinity News updated the story. According to the article, TCDSU is now set to end its sponsorship agreement with Domino’s Pizza after learning that its contract is based on a rolling agreement.
“This means that the agreement can be ended with adequate notice and we plan to engage in this discussion with Domino’s”, stated TCDSU to Trinity News.
“As such, the TCDSU has started the process of ending the Domino’s agreement at the earliest possible date”.
A Domino’s Pizza spokesperson speaking to Trinity News then mentioned the impact the end of their sponsorship agreement with TCDSU could have on its independently owned franchise locations. The spokesperson went on to state, “As such we hope the Student Union will reconsider their decision”.
We have yet to receive comment from University College Dublin Student’s Union on if there are connections between them and any BDS companies such as Domino’s.
Manus Daly – Reporter
