I read an interesting article about Target Corporation and their recent revenue hit due to people boycotting them over their roll-back of DEI initiatives, including ceasing their support for black owned businesses. In their infinite wisdom, the leadership of the company decided that the way to get shoppers back in their stores was to lower prices. This seems an odd response when the boycott was in direct response to their capitulating to the current President and was irrelevant to pricing. As one would expect, the lowering of prices did nothing to bring shoppers back. Apparently, they thought that people would eventually come back, because Americans are all about ‘saving money.’ They continue to underestimate the actual, underlying reason for the boycott. Those, like me, who are boycotting them are making a statement with their money. The statement is that promoting and protecting diversity, equity and inclusion are core principles for us, and we will demonstrate our commitment to these principles with our money. When it’s difficult to see many ways to push back against the administration, control of one’s money is a key component of capitalism, and as the saying goes, “Money speaks louder than words.”
Here’s how I’ve replaced Target in my own purchasing decisions. While having to be more deliberate and thoughtful about where and how I purchase household items, once I started down this path, I became used to having to shop for specific items at different places. Fortunately, the ability to shop online makes it much easier since my local area is dominated by big-box stores (aka Home Depot, Lowe’s, Walmart and Target, all of which I am boycotting, though for different reasons).
Paper goods – toilet paper, tissues and paper towels:Who Gives a Crap. This company donates 50% of its profits to projects around the world that give access to clean water and toilets.
Household cleaning items: The Grove Collective. While the federal government works to undo environmental standards, I can continue to think about the impact of my actions on the environment. Their mission is to provide high-performing, planet-first home essentials that help consumers Go Beyond Plastic™ and shop with purpose.
Clothing: While I haven’t bought clothing at Target since my kids were young and I was relatively poor-er, things like socks, T-shirts and underwear might have been something I would buy. These days, I get those items from Bombas. This company donates on a one-for-one basis their products, so every pair of socks you buy, they donate one pair to people facing homelessness.
Coffee: Many Target stores have a Starbucks in them, and years ago, it was a Sunday routine to go to church, then stop by the Target store to get coffee at their Starbucks kiosk (which happened to be the closest Starbucks to church). I’m also boycotting Starbucks, so from that perspective, I go to my three favorite locally owned, independent coffee shops.Lucky Bean is a small artisanal coffee shop near my office that uses a process to make their coffee that uses much less water, resulting in a deliciously intense cup of coffee. Pressed is not just a coffee shop, but is also an independent bookstore, so it is a great place to sip coffee and read a book while supporting independent booksellers. And, finally,Brew Haha which is a bustling place that serves breakfast and lunch, and was one of the first coffee shops I went to when I moved to Erie, PA.
Groceries: I was never a big fan of buying groceries at Target, though would from time to time when I’d see something I knew that I needed while I was there to buy other things. As far as groceries go, I was introduced to Wegman’s when my son lived in Rochester, New York, and was pleased to see that Erie, PA hosts two locations. It’s a family-owned regional grocery that has excellent foods with a great international selection that you cannot often find at major grocery stores. Their mission is: Helping people live healthier, better lives through exceptional food. Further, they state, “building relationships and helping people are at the core of what we do.” This leads to treating their employees well and supporting the communities where they operate. They have stood firmly by their DEI principles and haven’t wavered in their support of their employees, customers and the local community.
Electronics: Lately, when I need electronics, I shop online with the company directly. As an Apple customer, shopping at their stores or on their website is how I buy my phone and computer related items. I have pretty much everything else that I need when it comes to electronics, so this hasn’t become an issue, however if I need anything, I’ll likely go directly to the vendor and purchase online.
Hardware, home and garden: For these kinds of things, local is it. While I sometimes give in to convenience and go to the Lowe’s across the street from my office, I try as much as possible to shop at local hardware stores instead. Beyond simple things like shovels and brooms, I don’t need a lot of home and garden items. When I returned to the US after my years in the UK, I have lived in places where the landlord takes care of maintenance, including the lawn and whatever garden there is on the property. I miss having a garden, but do not miss home maintenance and lawn care.
Personal care and beauty: For these, I tend to shop directly online with companies like Aveda, one of the original cruelty-free, socially responsible companies, and also happens to sell my favorite hair products. Sometimes, I’ll check out local stores like Ulta. While they are not without controversy, I recently discovered that Sephora (the other local alternative) has been accused of making political donations to the President’s campaign, so it seems that they’ll need to fall off my list of shops I go to.
Looking at this list, it is a lot of work to segment these things out when it’s more convenient to go to Walmart, Target or even Amazon as a ‘one stop shop.’ In these days where we have little control over what is happening in the federal government, it is even more important that we make conscious decisions about what we will and won’t support in our daily lives. For me, I not only boycott stores, but I frequently check in with my financial planner to confirm that my retirement investments are not in the stock of these companies. It’s easy enough to say that I won’t shop at Walmart or Target, but if my portfolio contains their stock, then what have I really done to hold true to my principles?
I’m sure there is more I can do, however as the situation continues to evolve, I often think about how I can demonstrate my beliefs and values in my daily life; not just in what I say and do, but in how I spend my money. I can do things like cancel my Disney+ account, stop my Spotify subscription and refuse to shop at certain stores. And, while these actions may not seem to make a big difference, when you see the stock price of these companies going down as they release earnings reports showing that revenues are down significantly, you know that somehow, we are making an impact. One good thing about American capitalism is that there are always other alternatives when making purchasing decisions. While Target represents the ease and convenience of being able to buy a lot of what you need in one place, it’s important to live by your principles and find alternatives so that you can look yourself in the mirror and see that your words and actions are aligned.
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