A grassroots movement calling itself The People's Union USA has announced a 24-hour boycott against major American retail chains. It will take place throughout Friday.
The boycott is described by the movement as "economic resistance" against how the USA's billionaires, large corporations, and leading political parties treat the country's population.
The movement plans to repeat the same one-day campaign in a month, on March 28. But they are also aiming to launch longer campaigns against specific major chains such as Walmart and Amazon and the e-commerce giant's food chain Whole Foods.
In addition to this, campaigns are also underway in the USA directly targeting how companies have adapted to President Donald Trump's policy. Among other things, several campaigns have been launched against the department store chain Target, which has scrapped all its diversity, equality, and inclusion programs in line with demands from the Trump administration.
Marginal effect
Some of the chains targeted by the campaigns will, according to experts, feel the effects of Friday's 24-hour boycott, which comes at a time when trade is already threatened by decreased demand as many consumers are worried about renewed inflationary pressures and Trump's threats of tariffs on foreign goods. But the effect will likely be marginal, according to experts who have spoken to the news agency AP.
I don't see it as likely that we will see a long-term decline in economic activity due to this boycott, says Anna Tuchman, marketing professor at Northwestern University, to the news agency AP.
In Europe, the boycotts that have started spreading – including in Facebook groups – also often have a connection to Trump's policy. In Denmark, where many are outraged over how Trump has spoken about Greenland's future, a group calling itself "Boycott goods from the USA" has seen its membership more than triple to over 36,000 on Friday, reports the news agency Ritzau.
Star to facilitate
Denmark's largest retail conglomerate, Salling Group, has also decided to facilitate for customers who want to boycott goods produced by American food companies such as Mondelẽz International by placing a star next to the price of goods produced by European companies.
At least around 5,000 people have simultaneously joined the Swedish Facebook group: "Boycott goods from the USA".
