Bonial
Bonial is a location-based shopping platform that provides consumers with digital access to local deals, catalogs, and promotions from various retailers. It was founded in 2008 and is headquartered in Berlin, Germany. Bonial is a subsidiary of Axel Springer; therefore, Bonial and all its subsidiaries are a target for boycotts.
Bonial owns several platforms on which retailers can advertise their deals, discounts, and cashback programs. These platforms include KaufDA and Main Prospekt.
Shadow of the Beast: Axel Springer
Axel Springer has historically invested in startups to expand its influence and business portfolio. Notable examples include price comparison platforms such as KaufDA and Idealo. The company also runs the Axel Springer Plug and Play Accelerator, which focuses on early-stage investments in companies such as N26 and Blogfoster. However, the current relationships between these companies and Axel Springer are not always transparent.
As part of Axel Springer's portfolio, Bonial and its associated brands are required to adhere to the Axel Springer Pledge. This pledge imposes mandatory “values” on the company and all its employees, including strong support for Israel, the endorsement of capitalism and free markets, and the strengthening of ties with the United States.
Axel Springer and its CEO are openly supportive of Zionism, with a clear stance against any employee who opposes the company's pledge or Zionist ideals. In some instances, employees within the company's news-tech sector have reportedly been pressured to control narratives about Palestine.
Axel Springer’s news agencies, such as WELT and Bild, have unapologetically used their platforms to spread anti-migrant and Islamophobic rhetoric. As a result, Axel Springer and all its subsidiaries are targets for boycotts.
Sources:
- Axel Springer What Defines Us
- Axel Springer Brands