Additional Coverage:
- Walmart boycott begins April 7 over DEI rollback – full list of products organizers urge us to avoid (themirror.com)
Walmart Boycott Planned Over DEI Rollbacks
A nationwide boycott of Walmart is scheduled for April 7-14, organized by The People’s Union USA. The boycott is in response to Walmart scaling back its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, following a trend among businesses reacting to the Trump administration’s stance against such initiatives.
The People’s Union USA is urging consumers to avoid all Walmart services, including retail stores, online platforms, and various other subsidiaries. This “blackout” follows a previous 24-hour economic protest organized by the group in February, which reportedly resulted in a minor dip in Walmart’s web traffic, though this coincided with a general downturn in consumer spending.
John Schwartz, leader of The People’s Union USA, has cited “corporate greed” as a key motivator for these boycotts. He stated that regardless of political affiliation, the detrimental effects of corporate greed and political corruption should be universally acknowledged. The group also recently concluded a week-long boycott of Nestlé products.
Walmart’s move to scale back DEI efforts follows similar actions by other major retailers, including Target, which has also faced boycott action. A 40-day boycott of Target, led by Atlanta megachurch pastor Rev.
Jamal Bryant, began on March 5th. Bryant criticized Target for abandoning its DEI commitments and encouraged his congregation to forgo shopping at the retailer during Lent.
This boycott is a direct response to Target’s decision to dismantle its racial justice committee and scale back other diversity initiatives amidst pressure from right-wing activists and legal groups. Heirs to the Target fortune, Anne and Lucy Dayton, have also spoken out against the company’s actions.