As money spins the world around, individuals impact international ethics and priorities according to the usage of their earnings. The monetary support a consumer lends to a brand or business directly supports their policies and ethics. Currently, protests for stronger Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) policies sweep the nation as President Donald Trump issues executive orders against DEI programs and policies. Such policies aim to establish equality and address discrimination, especially within workplaces. Amidst the political chaos, numerous consumers opt to boycott brands with poor DEI policies, favoring businesses that align with their personal morals.
McDonald’s
In early January 2025, McDonald’s announced their decision to end their DEI program, claiming to favor a heavy focus on inclusive supplies in the context of business. Changes included discontinuing their inclusivity goals, pausing external workplace surveys, ending their Supply chain’s mutual commitment to the DEI pledge and changing the name of their Diversity Team to Global Inclusion Team. Ultimately, these changes shifted the brand’s focus from diversity to business markets.
Following the announcement, consumers protested with a weeklong economic blackout targeting McDonald’s starting June 24, 2025. Headed by John Schwarz at The People’s Union, participating citizens boycotted McDonald’s completely, sending the brand a message signaling their discontent with the policy changes. After McDonald’s faced backlash through the power of consumers’ voices and money.
In exchange for dining under golden arches, customers may opt to support locally owned restaurants — such as Bernie’s, Kennesaw Thai Cuisine, Fern Gully Jamaican Cuisine and Big Pie in the Sky in the Kennesaw–Acworth area. These businesses not only strengthen the community’s economy but also avoid supporting a large-scale corporation’s policies in favor of locally scaled decisions and plans. Especially when supporting local restaurants owned by diverse families, consumer fuel fights demanding upheld DEI policies.
Target
Additionally, beginning in January 2025, Target faces pressure from consumers who speak out against the brand’s repeal of its DEI goals and initiatives. This motion includes concluding external surveys on diversity — including the Human Rights Campaign Corporate Equality Index survey — and shifting their focus toward supplier engagement, rather than their previous diversity engagement team. These initiatives are intended to support and protect racial and ethnic minorities and women while working with businesses run by people with disabilities, the queer community, people of color, women and veterans. The losses of these minorities directly impact the diverse lives of numerous citizens and business owners.
In response to the policy changes, consumers began a boycott against Target. The cries of protesters rang loud as Target lost $12.4 billion in market value by the end of February, 2025, and foot traffic declined 5.7% during March — marking eight weeks of consistent customer loss.
“I personally avoid shopping at Target — when I find out stores and brands have done some unfavorable things, I use the power of the penny to avoid using them. Target is not something necessary to my life. It doesn’t sit well on my mind that I could possibly be supporting something I don’t want to support. I try to be conscious — I don’t search up every brand before I buy it, but if I find out about something, I tend to avoid it,” magnet senior Kennedi Tolbert said.
Costco, a big-box multinational American corporation, serves as a feasible replacement for shoppers as they abstained from Target. 98% of Costco executives voted against reevaluating their DEI policies after being urged to respond to Trump’s influence. The corporation’s commitment to equality remains steadfast, particularly as Costco publicly states that it respects and includes everyone in its enterprise.
Amazon
Furthermore, consumers use their economic power as Amazon scales its DEI initiatives back, along with other corporations fearing Trump’s non-inclusive policies. Since December 2024, Amazon has struggled with maintaining its DEI initiatives, abandoning diverse hiring quotas, reexamining funds for Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) and scrapping sections dedicated to Black and queer rights under their policy page.
Traction surrounding Amazon boycotts began soon after the announcement to minimize their DEI programs, notably through economic blackouts in February and July of 2025, organized by Schwarz. However, American citizens rely heavily on the corporation for their everyday life, buying 2 billion groceries and household items in 2024. The dependence on Amazon causes boycotts to struggle — despite protesting efforts, DEI initiatives remain unrestored.
“A lot of people ask me if [boycotting is] hard, and I’m like, ‘Not really.’ I personally think that if I want to buy something from somewhere like Amazon or Target, I just look up the actual brand of the stuff and see if I can buy it from the actual brand’s website, versus buying it from Target. It’s never that deep for me. I don’t really miss any of the brands; it really opened my eyes to bigger and better things,” Tolbert said.
Websites, such as Etsy, provide consumers with access to non-corporate businesses online, offering a brilliant alternative to Amazon. Buying products directly from a brand’s personal store, rather than purchasing retail on Amazon, additionally provides individuals with diverse online shopping options. Ultimately, consumers can drive positive changes in massive corporations by wielding their individual economic powers in tandem.
