After the election, Target joined other retailers in making a show of ditching the "DEI" programs aimed at improving employment prospects and conditions for black people, women, the disabled, veterans and other minorities. But Target isn't Tractor Supply, and its shoppers haven't taken happily to finding out their favorite grocery store is as Trump-tastic as all the others. CNN reports that foot traffic is down 40%. [via archive.is]
When Target announced on January 24 that it would scale back diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) commitments, customers reacted swiftly, upset that a company that had so loudly touted its diversity initiatives appeared to be backtracking.
For 10 consecutive weeks, foot traffic at Target stores has declined — down 9% year-over-year in February and 6.5% year-over-year in March, according to data from analytics firm Placer.ai. While Placer.ai notes a variety of factors were likely to blame, like weather and a drop in post-holiday spending, Rev. Jamal Bryant has driven another reason for a drop-off: a fast — from shopping.
Bryant, the senior pastor of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church near Atlanta, spearheaded a 40-day "fast" from shopping at the big-box store during Lent (March 5 to April 17). The Target Fast boycott had more than 200,000 participants, he said.
Interesting that the boycott was driven by IRL black activism. It's as if Target thought any backlash would be a bunch of tweeting lefties (a projection of the out-of-touch mentality they perceived, perhaps, or maybe even the conspiracy theory that political opposition to Trump is astroturfed). Irrespective of their motives, Target didn't understand that DEI addressed real people, that those people were their customers, and now they have to eat a consequences sandwich.
Previously:
• DEI more popular than Democrats
• Costco shareholders reject anti-DEI proposal from 'ultra-right' group
• Costco claps back at 'reprehensible radical right' organization's anti-DEI demand
