Black Shoppers Had A Significant Impact On The ‘Economic Blackout’
New figures reveal that Black shoppers had a significant impact on the February 28 ‘Economic Blackout,’ particularly at major retailers like Amazon, Walmart, and Target, Retail Brew reports.
The boycott, led by grassroots organization The People’s Union USA, urged consumers to freeze spending for 24 hours in response to rising prices, corporate policies, and economic challenges facing consumers.
$220 million decline for Black shoppers
The boycott fell on a Friday, and sales decreased by 5.4% and trips fell by 4.1% compared to the average Friday, as stated by Numerator.
Household penetration for Black shoppers decreased by 10.1 points, sales dropped 18.7%, and trips declined by 17.6%. Those figures were more significant at Amazon, Target, and Walmart, with a 24.9% drop and a 27% decrease in traffic. In general, Black households spent under $1 billion on February 28, which is a $220 million decline.
Boycotts against retailers
Black consumers have been boycotting specific retailers for retracting their DEI efforts. In March, Target announced that it would end its DEI programs. Pastor Jamal Bryant called for a 40-day boycott against the retailer, which began on Wednesday, March 4. The movement spanned cities including Atlanta, Houston, Jacksonville, Florida, and Alexandria, Virginia. The “Target Fast” coincided with Lent, when some Christians observe fasting.
PepsiCo representatives met with civil rights leaders from the National Action Network (NAN) following Reverend Al Sharpton’s threat to lead a boycott over the company’s decision to roll back parts of its DEI efforts. The meeting was held “to discuss our grievances over reports they were rolling back nearly $500 million in DEI commitments,” according to AFROTECH.
Image: Target
