Economic Blackout Boycott Gains Attention, But Impact Unclear

Economic Blackout Boycott Gains Attention, But Impact Unclear \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ A 24-hour “economic blackout” boycott encouraged consumers to avoid spending on Friday as a form of protest against corporate influence, billionaires, and political elites. The event, promoted by the grassroots group People’s Union USA, aimed to demonstrate the power of collective economic resistance. However, major retailers and analysts reported no noticeable drop in sales, and the true scale of participation remains unclear. While some consumers engaged in the no-spend challenge, critics questioned its effectiveness, and opponents called for counter-protests.

Economic Blackout Boycott: Quick Looks

• Activists Urge No-Spend Friday: A grassroots campaign encouraged Americans to avoid shopping for 24 hours to protest corporate influence and political elites.
• Retailers Unaffected: Analysts found no measurable decline in sales, with stores reporting normal shopping activity.
• Participation Unclear: While some users shared videos of their boycott efforts, overall participation remains difficult to track.
• Small Businesses See Benefit: Some local businesses reported increased sales as consumers shifted purchases away from major chains.
• More Boycotts Planned: The People’s Union USA plans another blackout on March 28 and longer-term retailer-specific boycotts.

Deep Look

A Grassroots Protest With Unclear Reach

The 24-hour economic blackout, launched by People’s Union USA, sought to send a message to corporate America by urging consumers to halt spending for a day.

• The no-spend event ran from 12:00 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. EST Friday.
• The goal: To highlight corporate power, economic inequality, and political corruption by temporarily halting consumer activity.
• Supporters posted online about skipping coffee runs, fast food, and retail purchases, but whether participation was widespread remains unknown.

Retail industry analysts and executives saw no clear signs of reduced shopping activity, suggesting that the boycott may not have had a substantial economic effect.

Marshal Cohen, chief retail advisor at Circana, noted:

“It doesn’t look like anybody’s really pulling back. If 5% or 10% of people didn’t shop, that could happen on any given day because of the rain.”

The lack of measurable impact raises questions about the effectiveness of one-day boycotts in challenging corporate dominance.

Who Organized the Economic Blackout?

The protest was spearheaded by People’s Union USA, a relatively new activist group founded by John Schwarz, a meditation teacher from Chicago.

• The group promotes economic resistance and corporate accountability.
• Its website includes a crowdfunding link, which had raised over $95,000 by Friday afternoon, mostly in small-dollar donations.
• However, Schwarz’s background has come under scrutiny, with reports that he omitted details about a past legal case from his biography.

The New York Times reported that Schwarz had previously pleaded no contest to a voyeurism-related charge in 2007, which he claims was a misunderstanding that would be expunged.

Despite this controversy, People’s Union USA plans further boycott efforts, including:

• A second nationwide “blackout” on March 28.
• Targeted boycotts of Walmart, Amazon, Nestlé, and General Mills.

Did People Participate?

While some consumers embraced the no-spend challenge, others remained skeptical.

• Social media users posted videos showing their participation, from brewing coffee at home to packing homemade lunches.
• Rachelle Biennestin, a teacher and TikTok creator, said she supported the effort, explaining:
  “I’m not going to forget that companies rolled back on DEI. I’m going to remember that, and so will my wallet.”
• Others mocked the movement, calling for counter-protests that encouraged people to go on shopping sprees.

Interestingly, some small businesses saw an increase in sales, suggesting that the blackout may have redirected purchases rather than halted them entirely.

• Mischa Roy, owner of a Massachusetts tea shop, noted:
  “We are definitely seeing brand loyalty and small business loyalty.”

This highlights a possible shift, where some consumers boycotted big chains while supporting local businesses instead.

More Boycotts on the Horizon

The economic blackout is just one of many boycott movements gaining traction.

1. Target Boycott for Lent

• Rev. Jamal Bryant launched a 40-day Target boycott starting March 5 (Ash Wednesday).
• Target announced in January that it ended DEI hiring, supplier, and promotion goals, sparking backlash.

2. National Action Network’s Corporate Boycott Plans

• Rev. Al Sharpton’s civil rights group plans to boycott two major companies in the next 90 days for abandoning DEI commitments.

3. Other Consumer Activism Movements

• Some activists are boycotting Starbucks over labor issues.
• Bud Light’s 2023 boycott over a transgender influencer partnership crippled sales, which have yet to fully recover.

While some past boycotts have had lasting effects, others—such as the 2020 Goya boycott—saw only temporary dips in sales.

Anna Tuchman, a Northwestern University marketing professor, noted:

“Consumers can send a message, but one-day boycotts rarely result in sustained changes to corporate behavior.”

Final Thoughts: Did the Economic Blackout Succeed?

The economic blackout sparked conversation, but its true impact remains questionable.

• Retailers saw no significant drop in sales.
• Some consumers supported it, while others dismissed it.
• Small businesses may have benefited.

While activist-driven boycotts continue to emerge, history suggests that long-term, organized efforts have a greater impact than single-day protests.

As People’s Union USA prepares for its next boycott in March, it remains to be seen whether economic activism can create lasting corporate change—or if this was just a one-day experiment that will soon be forgotten.

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