MINNEAPOLIS – Minnesota activists are renewing calls for a boycott of Target as the retailer reports continued sales declines, citing โคdissatisfaction with the company’s recent changes to its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs.
Activists โขheld a news conferenceโ Thursday outside Target’s corporate headquarters, urging shoppers to โtake their business elsewhere this holiday season. The boycott began in late January afterโ Target announced it was altering its DEI initiatives, some of which wereโ implemented followingโ theโ murder of George Floyd in Minnesota.
“We say that Target’s actions are not acceptable and they โขwill not receive our dollars โasโค a response,” said civil rights attorney and organizer Nikema Levy Armstrong.
Target announced Wednesday thatโ storeโ sales slid 2.7% in theโ third quarter, marking its third consecutive quarterly decline. The companyโ anticipates โfurther sales decreases during the crucial holiday season.
In a statement toโ WCCO News, Target โฃsaid it remains committed โขto its previous pledges,โ including a $2 billion investment โin Black-owned businesses and $100 millionโค inโ Black-led community organizations.โข
“Target has a long-standing commitment to creating growth and opportunity for all,” a spokesperson said. “We work every day to unlock potential and create lasting impact by empowering entrepreneurs, supportingโฃ small businesses, uplifting our โteam members and strengthening the 2,000+ communities we operate in.”
During Wednesday’s earnings call, Target’s chief commercial officer, Rick Gomez, stated customers are “stretching budgets” and “spending where it matters most.”โ The company’s stock has dropped nearly 40% year-to-date.
While Target officials did not address the boycott during the earnings call, advocates โbelieve the sales slump demonstrates the effectiveness of their efforts. โฃThey pledge to continue the boycott until Target reverses itsโ DEI policy โchanges.
“Manny โof โคus love Target. Many of us have friends and familyโ who work at Target.โ But when Target โrefuses to see โus,it is indeed time for usโ to move away from that company,” said jaylani Hussein,executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations in Minnesota.
Target announced plans for an โadditional $1 billion investment in new stores and remodels and โhas recently reduced prices on essential items likeโข groceries.
