10 Corporate Conspiracy Theories

10 Corporate Conspiracy Theories

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re examining 10 Corporate Conspiracy Theories.

For this list, we’ll be looking at the most intriguing conspiracy theories involving businesses, corporations, and conglomerates. To be clear, the theory does not have to be proven true, so long as the theory itself has been put forth.

What do you make of these beliefs? Are you in or out? Let us know in the comments below!

Tim Hortons’s Secret Coffee Ingredient

Tim Hortons, or Timmie’s as the locals call it, is arguably the most popular coffee chain in Canada, although it’s also branched out to many countries around the world. With well over 5,000 locations, it’s obvious that Timmie’s is doing something right. And some think that “something” might be nicotine. According to some, the chain secretly adds the addictive substance to its coffee to ensure that people keep coming through the door. Of course, that’s not actually the case, because that would be in violation of some major health regulations. And rest assured, the theory has been officially disproved by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. Turns out, they just make a mean cup of joe.

Raising the Price of Chicken

When it comes to meat, it doesn’t get much better than chicken. It’s a versatile food - cheap, healthy, and you get a lot of bang for your buck. But maybe we should be paying even less bucks. Back in October of 2021, Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson alleged that nineteen different chicken producers were artificially inflating the price of the meat. According to Ferguson, these companies were intentionally manipulating the supply of chicken so as to increase demand, and therefore, the market price of the birds. Ferguson launched a lawsuit against these companies, as price fixing is highly illegal. As of April 2023, fourteen of the nineteen companies have settled with Ferguson, resulting in earnings of $35 million.

You Can Stop Meta From Owning Your Photos

There are countless conspiracy theories regarding Meta Platforms, the conglomerate that owns both Facebook and Instagram. For example, many people are convinced that Facebook is eavesdropping on your conversations and giving you targeted ads in response. But there’s another theory centered around the use of private photos. According to the theory, Meta owns every photo that you upload, and they can do whatever they want with it unless you specify otherwise in a post. Unfortunately, that’s not how it works. You agreed to give Meta access to your photos when you signed up. It’s explicitly in the terms of service. And that’s far more lawfully-binding than some random chain message that you repost on your feed.

Walmart & Jade Helm 15

Back in 2015, Walmart suddenly closed five stores across the United States, resulting in more than 2,000 people losing their jobs. According to the company, the buildings had suffered extensive plumbing issues that were too costly and time-consuming to fix. According to others, it was because the employees were unionizing. Regardless, the closures resulted in an even greater conspiracy involving the US military. According to the believers, martial law would be enacted and these closed stores would be used as military facilities or, even worse, FEMA concentration camps for captured American citizens. Of course, nothing of the sort ever occurred. Nope, these were just closed Walmarts. It happens.

Apple Enacts Planned Obsolescence

In the economic industry, “planned obsolescence” refers to a device that is purposefully rendered obsolete by its maker. For example, many believe that Apple designs their iPhones to “die” after a certain number of years so that users will be forced to buy the newest, latest, and greatest. In 2017, a supposed “Harvard study” even made the rounds that seemingly “proved” this idea. But this isn’t true. It’s true that older iPhones get slower once new iOS upgrades are released, but that’s because the aged batteries cannot handle its demands. So, yes, old phones do slow down, and yes, you will have to buy a new one. But that’s simply the nature of technology and not the result of some grand “planned obsolescence” conspiracy.

New Coke Was Bad on Purpose

There are corporate disasters, and then there’s New Coke. Making its big rollout in April 1985, New Coke was a reformulated version of the classic beverage. Coca-Cola had seen diminishing sales, and New Coke was the company’s attempt at revitalizing the brand. Well, it didn’t work. The product was widely hated, and the experiment was considered an enormous disaster. Classic Coke was reintroduced just three months later to great success. However, this raised some eyebrows. Skeptics believed that ol’ Coke had pulled a fast one and intentionally made New Coke bad, thereby spiking demand - and sales - for classic Coke. It’s a decent conspiracy theory, but it has no basis in reality. As company president Donald Keough hilariously put it, “We’re not that smart.”

McDonald’s & the IRA

This conspiracy theory has enormous implications and could do some extreme damage to the reputation of McDonald’s. Thankfully, not a lick of it is true, so you can enjoy your Big Macs guilt-free. The theory stretches back to the ‘80s, when McDonald’s was accused of providing money to a group called the Provisional Irish Republican Army. Known widely as the IRA, this was a terrorist organization that fought for Northern Irish independence. In a turn of events, the theory was traced back to CNN, which was discussing the company’s use of IRAs, or Individual Retirement Accounts. Someone had mixed up pension planning for terrorism, and a bizarre conspiracy theory was born.

Purdue Pharma Commits Fraud

A private pharmaceutical company, Purdue Pharma has a sketchy history. It once paid an enormous fine for lying about the addictive properties of OxyContin, and in 2020 it was found guilty of numerous conspiracies. Basically, Purdue was giving kickbacks to distributors so they would sell more of their product and then lied about doing so to the Drug Enforcement Administration. Even worse, they intentionally sold their product knowing that it was going to “abusers,” thereby fueling the ongoing opioid epidemic to get rich. As US Attorney Christina Nolan succinctly puts it, “Purdue put opioid profits ahead of people.” It sounds like a conspiracy theory, but it is 100% true. It cost Purdue billions of dollars, and the resulting controversy forced the company to rebrand.

Operation Berkshire

The title “Operation” conveys a powerful exercise that is meticulously planned and flawlessly executed. And Operation Berkshire was all about smoking. Specifically, the tobacco industry’s efforts to keep people smoking. It was started by Imperial Tobacco chairman Tony Garrett in 1976, who gathered the CEOs of seven major companies. According to a document written by the Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corporation, Operation Berkshire “monitored anti-tobacco organizations” and “[rebutted] data and allegations from anti-smoking forces.” Basically, they created a unified front and battled the increasing public scrutiny on smoking cigarettes. They even lied to Congress by claiming that nicotine was not addictive. Operation Berkshire wasn’t publicly unveiled until 1998, meaning that it was conducted in secret for over twenty years.

The Deepwater Horizon Accident

On April 20, 2010, BP’s drilling rig Deepwater Horizon suffered a massive explosion that killed eleven people and sent over 200 million gallons of oil into the Gulf of Mexico. According to BP, the explosion was the result of ignited methane, which had combined with seawater and drilling mud during a blowout. Some, including conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh, were convinced that something more foul was afoot. Some claim that the oil rig was hit by a foreign missile in a violent declaration of aggression or war. Others posit that the explosion was rigged by environmentalists hoping to prove the folly and hubris of oil drilling. The truth is far simpler, but no less catastrophic.