Target is set to face a 40-day consumer boycott starting Wednesday over its decision to scale back diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. The protest, spearheaded by Rev. Jamal Bryant, an Atlanta-based megachurch pastor, follows the company’s recent policy shifts on minority hiring and racial justice efforts.
“We’re asking people to divest from Target because they have turned their back on our community,” Bryant told CNN.
The boycott coincides with the beginning of Lent and comes at a challenging time for Target, which is already dealing with economic headwinds and increased tariffs. In January, the company announced the elimination of hiring targets for minority employees, the dissolution of an executive committee focused on racial justice, and a shift to a new strategy called “Belonging at the Bullseye.” Target said it remains committed to inclusivity but aims to adapt to “the evolving external landscape.”
The company’s DEI rollback aligns with a broader trend among major corporations responding to legal and political pressure from conservative groups and the Trump administration. However, Target has faced harsher criticism than competitors like Walmart or John Deere due to its historically progressive stance on racial and LGBTQ issues. The backlash has been particularly vocal, with customers expressing outrage online, and Anne and Lucy Dayton, daughters of a Target co-founder, calling the company’s actions “a betrayal.”
“Black people spend upwards of $12 million dollars a day, and so we would expect some loyalty, some decency and some camaraderie,” Bryant said.
Some worry that the boycott could inadvertently harm Black-owned businesses. Melissa Butler, CEO of The Lip Bar, a Black-owned makeup brand sold at Target, voiced concerns on TikTok, stating, “We don’t want these minority businesses to suffer or to be impacted negatively.”
Target declined to comment on the boycott but reiterated its commitment to inclusivity, emphasising its continued support for minority-owned businesses.
Early signs indicate that the controversy may already be affecting Target’s foot traffic. Data from Placer.ai, which tracks store visits using phone location data, suggests that customer visits to major retailers have slowed in recent weeks, with the sharpest decline seen at Target. Analyst Joseph Feldman of Telsey Advisory Group noted that traffic began dropping in late January, shortly after the company scaled back its DEI programs.
The boycott adds to Target’s existing financial pressures, including declining sales and the impact of tariffs. CEO Brian Cornell warned Tuesday that Trump’s tariffs on Mexican imports could lead to price hikes on produce as early as this week. “Those are categories where we’ll try to protect pricing, but the consumer will likely see price increases over the next couple of days,” Cornell told CNBC.
