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The highly publicized “Economic Blackout” on February 28 did not ultimately make a major impact on retail sales and trips that day, but certain consumer groups, particularly Black and LGBTQ+ shoppers, demonstrated a significant spending change, according to new data from Numerator.
The boycott, organized by grassroots organization The People’s Union USA, asked consumers to freeze spending for 24 hours. On February 28, which fell on a Friday, sales dropped 5.4%, and trips were down 4.1%, but compared to the average Friday, the changes were within the general variations typically seen from week to week, according to Numerator.
Household penetration for Amazon, Target, and Walmart, dropped 2.2 percentage points, which Numerator did note was a “statistically significant decline, suggesting influence beyond standard week-to-week variation,” as sales at those retailers dropped 6.2% and trips fell 7.5%, larger than overall retail market impact.
For Black shoppers, household penetration fell 10.1 points, sales dropped 18.7%, and trips declined 17.6%. At Amazon, Target, and Walmart, those declines were steeper—a 24.9% dip and 27% traffic drop. Overall, Black households spent under $1 billion on February 28, a $220 million decline, which Numerator noted was the only drop like that in the past year. These changes, Numerator noted, were “statistically significant.”
Beyond these planned boycotts, Black shoppers have pulled back spending from retailers like Target and Amazon as they’ve cut their DEI programs in recent months. Across all demographics, Target has seen 10 straight weeks of foot traffic declines since it rolled back its DEI initiatives in January.
Across other consumer groups, LGBTQ+ shoppers also registered a statistically significant penetration drop of 4.7 points. Hispanic and Gen Z shoppers, who Numerator said shared higher intent to participate in the boycott in a survey ahead of February 28, also demonstrated declines, though less notable than those of Black and LGBTQ+ shoppers.
The data indicate “the growing power of coordinated, values-driven (in)action at the checkout line,” Numerator said.
The People’s Union USA is calling for a second blackout this weekend, dubbed “Economic Blackout 2.0,” on its website and social media. On April 18, 19, and 20, it’s calling for a halt to “big box spending,” asking consumers to shop only at local businesses. The group also instituted a Walmart blackout from April 7–14.