From Uber to Tesla, These Are the Most Hated Brands in The World

Japanese conglomerate Sony is hated in as many as 10 countries, including Argentina, Canada, Kuwait, Ghana, and Hungary! The global brand manufactures electronics, makes music, and produces movies. One of the most frustrating things for customers last year was the shortage of PS5 game consoles and delays in games.  

The company is so vast that it’s been embroiled in various controversies globally: hacks, gender discrimination and toxic work culture, lawsuits, and most recently, a pedophilia accusation against a senior executive. 

The most hated fast food brand in the world is your neighborhood fried chicken chain. KFC is dodging criticism from 14 different countries on Twitter, including New Zealand, UAE, Zimbabwe, France, Turkey, the Bahamas, and Barbados. 

Customers have complained about the quality of KFC products for years and in different parts of the world. From serving a 7-year-old boy deep-fried paper towel to repackaging old food and using expired meats, the fast-food chain has caused Twitter to react with a “Yuck!” many times. Even Colonel Sanders wasn’t happy with what KFC became after he sold his stocks and tried to sue the company for $122 million!

Another company that drives people mad. The electric car manufacturer and its CEO Elon Musk are always in trouble, so it seems fitting that it’s the second most hated brand in the world (according to this analysis) with seven countries riding the hate wave. Complaints from Spain, Serbia, Croatia, Singapore, Portugal, Taiwan, and Poland have made it to Twitter.

Why is it having such a hard time? Customers have reported that the vehicle catches fire, service shops have long wait times, and the autopilot has caused fatal accidents. In addition, it’s been reported that the company has issues with worker safety and Elon Musk routinely stirs up trouble on Twitter.

Bill Gates’ Microsoft is hated in 22 countries across the globe, making it the most hated big tech brand. People are often disappointed with the updates on Windows and its Office products and there are also privacy and data security complaints. 

You’d think that Amazon would take this one given its unpopularity due to the treatment of its employees and a market monopoly that pushes small enterprises out of business. But the company is active in just 18 countries, the website explains, and it’s got negative reviews from six of them.

No surprises here. Poland, UAE, Singapore, Canada, Belgium, Zambia, Vietnam, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Kenya, and Ukraine have tweeted negatively about the social media giant. Mark Zuckerberg has been questioned by the Senate for data mining and the company is repeatedly handling legal issues, including a U.S. antitrust case. Privacy issues, storing and selling data, fake news, hate speech, COVID-19 misinformation, violent content, and trolling are just some of the problems with Facebook that users have voiced. 

Ride-sharing company Uber tops the chart in the UK with 47.88% negative comments. Since the pandemic, customers have complained about long wait times as drivers have quit to find other sources of income and the company has also increased its prices by 10% in London. Uber is not doing itself any favors in the U.S. either, where it is given a thumbs down in eight states due to lack of rides when you need them.

For years, drivers across the globe have complained about treatment at the hands of the American company, while customers regularly express unhappiness over cost, service, and safety.

Why are six American states (Connecticut, Massachusetts, Alabama, Louisiana, Utah, and Illinois) annoyed with the Danish toy company Lego? It’s such a big part of childhood with its cute sets, theme parks, movies, and games. But the sets come at a high cost and missing pieces can be frustrating. 

Telecom company Vodafone has been bleeding money in India and has just received a government bailout, but customers only care about service, which they say is poor. As a user of Vodafone for more than a decade, I can attest I struggle with connectivity, so it’s no surprise that India’s most hated brand is Vodafone. Fiji isn’t a fan either.