Half of U.S. Voters Say Brands Should Speak Out on Abortion Access

As brands decide whether to comment on the Supreme Court’s potential decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, roughly half of registered voters said they support when companies speak out on abortion access, according to a new Morning Consult/Politico survey conducted shortly after the news broke.

What the numbers say

• According to the data, 51% of registered voters said they support when brands speak out about abortion access. Support among male (51%) and female (52%) voters was roughly even.
• Gen Z voters were the most supportive of companies’ stating their stance on abortion access, with 72% saying they either “strongly” or “somewhat” support it, compared with 56% of millennials, 49% of baby boomers and 42% of Gen Xers. 
• More than three-quarters of Democrats (76%) said they support when companies speak out, while just over one-quarter of Republicans (28%) agreed. Forty-five percent of Republicans said they oppose companies;’ speaking out. 
• Among voters who said Roe v. Wade should not be overturned, 71% believe companies should speak out on abortion access.

More on the numbers

• When asked about several actions companies could take in response to the Supreme Court potentially overturning Roe v. Wade, U.S. voters were most in favor of providing resources and assistance to help employees (51%) and customers (46%) affected by the potential ruling.
• As companies like Amazon.com Inc. and Yelp Inc. pledge to help pay employees’ travel expenses for an out-of-state abortion, 2 in 5 voters said they support when companies take such action.
• Respondents were also asked what they would do if a company they regularly used released a public statement in support of protecting Roe v. Wade. One in 5 voters said they’d purchase more products or services from that company, while 1 in 10 said they’d stop purchasing from it.  

The impact

In recent years, brands have wasted little time letting the public know exactly where they stand on certain issues, from Black Lives Matter and police brutality to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Yet in the immediate aftermath of Politico’s report of the leaked draft opinion indicating the Supreme Court would soon overturn Roe v. Wade, it appears abortion access is a thornier issue for corporations.

While brands like ice cream maker Ben & Jerry’s Homemade Inc. and video game developer Bungie Inc. have tweeted their support for protecting a woman’s right to have an abortion, many major companies — including the Walt Disney Co., Walmart Inc. and Microsoft Corp. — have yet to publicly comment on the potential rolling back of Roe v. Wade. 

As Disney learned in its recent feud with Republican Florida governor Ron DeSantis over the state’s “Don’t Say Gay” law, there can be serious financial consequences for choosing a side in a contentious debate. Yet when it comes to abortion access and the ongoing clash over Roe v. Wade, the Morning Consult/Politico data reveals Americans would rather know exactly where companies stand — and consumers might even reward companies willing to speak out.

The Morning Consult/Politico survey was conducted May 3, 2022, among a representative sample of 1,955 registered voters, with an unweighted margin of error of plus or minus 2 percentage points.