Black-Owned Brands Urge U.S. Consumers Not To Boycott Target

"Please don't boycott Target."

Advocates stated that the campaign aimed to hurt the company’s sales and prevent Target from profiting from products by minority-owned companies. I Photo: Mike Mozart Flickr

That’s the message from Black founders and influencers to consumers in response to the backlash against the retailer’s decision to end its diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts, Arriana McLymore and Siddharth Cavale reported for Reuters.

With the U.S. political climate shifting right, the Minneapolis-based company announced the decision, prompting calls for a boycott from labor advocacy group We Are Somebody and a Minneapolis city council member.

Advocates stated that the campaign aimed to hurt the company’s sales and prevent Target from profiting from products by minority-owned companies.

However, Black-owned companies and entrepreneurs urged against the boycott, arguing that it would result in lost revenue and reduced consumer exposure, harming the brands more than the retailer.

"If we all decide to boycott, so many of us will be affected, and our sales will drop—our businesses will be hurt," Tabitha Brown, an actress whose kitchenware is sold at Target, said in an Instagram post.

Building on previous inclusivity efforts, Target set a goal in 2022 to invest more than $2 billion in Black-owned businesses by 2025 and to feature more than 500 Black-owned brands in its stores.

The company has stated that it remains on track to meet these goals.