McDonald's is now facing a boycott over its DEI rollback. The grassroots Economic Blackout Campaign, led by the People's Union USA, previously called for a boycott of Target.
Posting on social media, the campaign says it's "about more than burgers and fries. It's about power." The group is calling for the boycott this week, June 24 through June 30.
"This is not about fast food, this is about the power of the people," said John Schwarz, founder of the People's Union USA. "This is about sending a message to corporations who think they can get away with price gouging, tax dodging, inequality, corporations that pretend to support the people while doing absolutely nothing that benefits the people. We're done. We're done funding their silence, we're funding their greed and this week, we show up by not showing up. No McDonald's. No fries. No Big Macs. Nothing for seven days."
RELATED STORY | Pride events face budget shortfalls as US corporations pull support ahead of summer festivities
On the same day Congress certified Donald Trump's presidential election victory, McDonald's announced it was lifting some of its DEI initiatives.
"We are retiring setting aspirational representation goals and instead keeping our focus on continuing to embed inclusion practices that grow our business into our everyday process and operations," the company said on Jan. 6.
The company added, "Our success is a direct result of the work our collective system has done to become the world's community restaurant. We are shaped by the communities we serve and open our doors to everyone. Whether it’s recruiting restaurant team members directly from the communities in which we operate or creating more opportunities for entrepreneurs and growing a robust and innovative supply chain, our system leverages inclusion to operate successfully and grow our businesses."
Scripps News has reached out to McDonald's for its reaction to the boycott.
It's unclear what, if any, impact the boycott will have on business. Some have credited a similar boycott for Target failing to meet its projections in the last quarter.
Target has cited declining consumer confidence and fears over the impact of tariffs for lower-than-projected sales.
