Stat: US consumers halt spending as political boycotts reshape retail

US – A February 2025 Harris Poll reveals that four in 10 Americans are altering their spending habits based on moral and political beliefs, with 24% abandoning their favourite stores due to ideological differences. The figures are even higher among Black respondents (35%), Gen Z (32%) and Democrats (31%). In addition, 31% of Americans expressed no interest in supporting the economy this year – a sentiment reflected in the one-day Economic Blackout on 28 February 2025.

Meanwhile, major retailers such as Target, Walmart and Amazon have faced a backlash for scaling back their diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. ‘Think of this as ‘laissez-faire consumerism’. Buyers aren’t boycotting, they’re just opting out,’ John Gerzema, CEO of Harris Poll, told The Guardian. ‘Instead of demanding more, they’re simply disengaging with the marketplace and businesses who disappoint them.’

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