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- Consumers could join a 24-hour economic blackout on Friday.
- The boycott aims to combat corporate greed and advocate for social change.
- The broader movement includes boycotts of specific companies like Amazon, Nestle, and Walmart.
Consumers are preparing for a 24-hour economic blackout Friday, part of a broader movement against corporate practices and changes to diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.
Organizers say the protest targets corporate greed, companies rolling back DEI efforts and President Donald Trump’s efforts to eliminate federal DEI programs.
Groups supporting the protests are telling participants not to spend money anywhere Friday. If they do, they are encouraged to buy from a local business.
Why are consumers having a buying boycott on Feb. 28?
The boycott was first organized by John Schwarz, who goes by “TheOneCalledJai” on Instagram. In an earlier interview with USA TODAY, he described the effort as a “bold” response to growing frustration over corporate greed and social issues.
The one-day action has since been expanded by The People’s Union, the organization Schwarz started. It includes boycotts of various companies and retailers during different time periods, including Amazon (March 7-14), Nestle (March 21-28) and Walmart (April 7-14), and a second, broader one-day economic blackout on April 18.
Do boycotts work?
Conservative activists have often successfully rallied in recent years to force retailers and companies to rein in their DEI efforts by staging boycotts to hurt sales.
Researchers interviewed by USA TODAY said boycotts can be successful in shaming a company into reversing decisions or taking action, but they don’t always work. Consumers do like being able to take action on causes they support, but the research shows boycotts need to outline clear courses of action in order to be effective.
What other consumer boycotts are happening?
The Feb. 28 boycott is one of several.
There is a national boycott of Target, which started Feb. 1 to coincide with Black History Month. It was launched by civil rights activists in Minneapolis who were upset that Target rolled back its DEI efforts. Another boycott that lasts through the end of the year was outlined on Instagram by comedian and actress Leslie Jones. It both encourages consumers to buy directly from Black-owned businesses and outlines planned protests in certain months against Amazon, Target and Walmart.
The faith community is also planning a 40-day fast or boycott of Target starting March 5. A website, www.targetfast.org, has been created with more information.
The Latino community has also been active on social media using the hashtag #LatinoFreeze, encouraging supporters to “hold your money” amid freezes on DEI initiatives, reduced funding for the National Institutes of Health and actions on immigration.
The movement encourages Latino Americans to shop only for essentials and to be thoughtful about where they buy, with a focus on supporting “Latino American, Black American and Allied American Businesses that are supportive to this movement.”
The Rev. Al Sharpton and the National Action Network have also held a few “buy-cotts” to bring supporters to Costco to spend money in support of the company’s board of directors, which voted down an effort to drop DEI initiatives.
National Action Network also said in a news release that it will lead “a strategic boycott in the next 90 days of two companies that have dropped their DEI commitments amid public pressure.” No details have been released.
What have large Oregon-based companies said about DEI?
All six Fortune 1000 companies based in Oregon have retained their DEI goals, at least publicly.
Nike
“NIKE, Inc. is building more equitable and inclusive practices to empower our current 80,000 employees and create the workforce of the future,” Nike said on its impact webpage.
Lithia Motors
According to Lithia’s website, one of the company’s goals is to “Foster a Diverse, Inclusive & High-Performance Culture” by “champion(ing) leadership programs where internal promotion serves as a pathway to career advancement, and recognition programs honor employee achievements.”
Greenbrier Companies
“Our IDEAL (inclusion, diversity, equity, access and leadership) Commitment supports a culture of growth and opportunities for employees at all levels and from all backgrounds by providing tools and resources to manage their own development journey and career path,” Greenbrier said on its diversity webpage.
Columbia Sportswear
“We connect active people with their passions across race, ethnicity, gender, ability, religion and sexual orientation. Doing the right thing for our consumers, customers, employees, the company and our communities is one of our core values. We are dedicated to creating a company that is diverse, equitable and inclusive because one thing that we can all agree on is the outdoors is for all of us,” Columbia said on its inclusion, diversity & equity page.
Portland General Electric
“From our employees to our customers, we have the responsibility to bring everyone forward into the clean energy future. This means reflecting, integrating, and supporting the diverse voices represented in the communities we serve,” Portland General Electric said on its diversity, equity and inclusion page.
Radius Recycling
“DEI is a fundamental part of our business strategy and success, including a commitment to attracting and retaining a diverse workforce and fostering an inclusive culture where employees collaborate toward shared goals. Our formal DEI program celebrates employees of all backgrounds by advancing a safe and healthy work environment in which individuals are treated equitably and with respect and dignity,” Radius Recycling said on its culture page.
Alan Torres covers local government for the Register-Guard. He can be reached over email at atorres@registerguard.com or on X @alanfryetorres.
USA Today consumer reporter Betty Lin-Fisher contributed to this report.
