Walmart DEI boycott starts today; here's why, what NJ shoppers should know
The spending freeze on the world's largest retailer comes amid an ongoing "40-day fast" of Target, spearheaded by a group of Black faith leaders, and kicks off a series of actions planned through the summer.
The People's Union USA has been rallying consumers to avoid retail giants that have since President Donald Trump's DEI cuts, scaled back on their diversity, equity and inclusion programs. The group, led by John Schwarz, was behind the 24-hour economic blackout on Feb. 28 that later expanded to Amazon and Nestlé, which took place in March.
Here's what New Jersey shoppers should know.
The upcoming Walmart boycott starts today, Monday, April 7, and extends through Monday, April 14.
The People's Union USA has asked customers to avoid spending at any Walmart stores or supercenters, online, on apps, through subscription services as well as at its affiliates.
From groceries to food and fuel, the People's Union USA has asked customers to pause all Walmart-related shopping:
Walmart retail stores: All Walmart stores, including Walmart Supercenters and Walmart Neighborhood Markets
Online: Walmart.com, Walmart Grocery App, Walmart Marketplace, and the Walmart+ subscription service
Financial services: Walmart MoneyCard, any in-store check cashing, bill pay and money transfers
Pharmacy and health services: Walmart pharmacy, vision and health centers
Grocery delivery: Walmart InHome delivery, curbside pickup and any grocery order fulfilled by Walmart
All Walmart gas stations
All Sam's Club warehouses and gas stations
Schwarz, who founded the People's Union, a grassroots movement dedicated to "economic resistance, government accountability, and corporate reform, has been critical of larger corporations such as Target, Walmart, Nestlé and Amazon.
In an online post, Schwarz called Walmart "one of the biggest beasts in the game," stating it has "swallowed up local economies, crushed small businesses, underpaid their employees, and helped fund the same political machine that keeps us all stuck."
In an Instagram post on Friday, Schwarz, who goes by the handle TheOneCalledJai, said the boycott "isn't about hate" but rather about the need for Americans to use their power and strategy to stop "feeding these giants."
"We've been watching prices rise while wages stay the same," he told his viewers. "We've watched these companies rake in billions while families can barely afford groceries."
There are 70 Walmart stores, 35 of which are supercenters, in New Jersey, according to the company's corporate website.
There are eight Sam's Club stores, three distribution centers and two fulfillment centers, a facility that handles processing and shipping of products to customers, according to the retailer.
Schwarz has also outlined several dates for blackouts or boycotts this spring and summer:
Walmart boycott: April 7-14
Second economic blackout: April 18
General Mills boycott: April 21-28
Second Amazon boycott: May 6-12
Second Walmart boycott: May 20-26
Target boycott: June 3-9
McDonald's boycott: June 24-30
Independence Day boycott: July 4
Shortly after taking office, President Donald Trump signed an executive order to dismantle federal Diversity, Equality and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives.
Walmart, the nation's largest retailer, stepped away from its DEI policies in late 2024, stating it would no longer participate in the annual benchmark index from LGBTQ+ advocacy group the Human Rights Campaign. The company also said it would no longer consider race or gender when awarding supplier contracts.
Diversity, equity, and inclusion is a concept that promotes the fair treatment and full participation of all people, particularly groups that are "underrepresented or subject of discrimination because of their background, identity and disability," according to Dictionary.com.
Many businesses and agencies rushed DEI programs into place in the wake of the 2020 protests against the death of George Floyd by Minneapolis police during an arrest, but diversity practices have been around for decades, dating back to the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
Several businesses have either modified or removed their DEI programs, including Target, Meta, Costco, McDonald's, Amazon and Lowe's.
Lori Comstock is a New Jersey-based journalist with the Mid-Atlantic Connect Team.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Walmart boycott: What to know about week-long spending freeze in NJ
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