Last week, Target (TGT) decided to hop on a growing trend in corporate America that has garnered both praise and blowback from consumers.
The retail giant opted to scale back its diversity, equity, and inclusion program, which includes discontinuing initiatives such as withdrawing its participation in the Human Right Campaign survey, which tracks LGBTQ+ corporate policies and practices.
In addition, it will conclude its Racial Equity Action and Change initiatives that include advancing the careers of Black employees, instituting anti-racism training for team members, promoting Black-owned businesses, sourcing products from Black suppliers, and more.
“Many years of data, insights, listening and learning have been shaping this next chapter in our strategy,” said Kiera Fernandez, chief community impact and equity officer at Target, in a memo announcing the changes. “And as a retailer that serves millions of consumers every day, we understand the importance of staying in step with the evolving external landscape, now and in the future – all in service of driving Target’s growth and winning together.”
Target announced an end to its DEI policies, and is receiving both backlash and praise in the face of its decision. Brandon Bell/Getty Images
The changes from Target comes after President Donald Trump issued an executive order on Jan. 21 that dismantles the federal government’s DEI programs. In the executive order, he claimed that the programs enforce “illegal and immoral discrimination.”
Target faces calls for a massive boycott
Now, it appears that Target may soon face a large boycott from consumers for slashing multiple DEI initiatives.
In a viral tweet on social media platform X, which has so far garnered over 2.7 million views, labor advocacy group We Are Somebody called for consumers to boycott all Target locations as a result of the retailer rolling back DEI.
“STARTING FEBRUARY 1st, WE ARE SOMEBODY IS CALLING ON A MASS BOYCOTT OF ALL TARGET STORES,” said the group in the tweet.
In a separate tweet, We Are Somebody founder Nina Turner, claimed that Target’s choice to scale back DEI is a “test,” and that it is important to support Black and other minority-owned businesses that sell their products in Target during the boycott.
This is not the first time Target has faced a boycott. During the summer of 2023, Target suffered a massive boycott from consumers over its pride collection, which faced backlash for being marketed towards children.
The retailer has struggled with weak sales ever since the controversy over its pride collection unfolded.
While the recent boycott calls has garnered some supporters, it has also gained criticism.
Black-owned doll brand Beautiful Curly Me, which sells products in Target, warned in an Instagram post that boycotting Target could harm its small business and others since whether or not its products stay on shelves is dependent on sales.
“The news from Target and others is sad, frustrating and so disheartening but please let’s rally together and be intentional with what we purchase at these retailers,” said the company in the post. “Numbers do not lie. Our sales performance is what will help us grow and expand. Our voices matter and we belong on (the) shelf just like those other multi-million dollar brands.”
Actress Tabitha Brown, who has a cookware set that is sold at Target, also took to Instagram to post a video emphasizing that a Target boycott could have a negative effect on small businesses.
“The thing that concerns me the most, and I want you to hear me and hear me well, if we all decide to stop supporting said businesses and say, ‘I can’t buy nothing from there,’ even the businesses affected by the DEI ban, what that does is you take all of our sales and they dwindle down and then that company gets to say, ‘Oh your products aren’t performing,’ and they can remove them from the shelves and then put their preferred businesses on the shelves,” said Brown in the Instagram video.
Since Target made the decision to scale back its DEI initiatives, it not only faced boycott calls from consumers, but it also was banned from participating in the Twin Cities Pride parade in Minneapolis, which the retailer has been a long supporter of.
Target isn’t the only company to cut DEI initiatives. Last year Walmart, Lowe’s, Harley-Davidson, Tractor Supply, etc., slashed their DEI policies amid consumer pressure and legal concerns surrounding the policies. Earlier this year, Amazon, Meta and McDonald’s also hopped on the trend.
