Black Friday, Cyber Monday spending boycotts planned for Amazon, Walmart, Target. Here’s why

Consumer Boycotts target DEI retreats—are they working? What we know.

Consumer boycotts are targeting companies like Amazon and Target, who’ve rolled back DEI initiatives, but are they working? Here’s what we know.

• Activist groups are calling for economic blackouts to protest perceived corporate greed and practices.
• Participants are encouraged to withhold spending and instead support small, local businesses.
• Major retailers like Target, Walmart, and McDonald’s have previously responded to boycotts by defending their corporate values and community contributions.

It’s perhaps the biggest shopping event of the year, but some consumers are planning to boycott major retailers on Black Friday and Cyber Monday to protest corporate practices.

Throughout the year, several boycotts and economic blackouts have taken place targeting major retailers such as Walmart, Amazon and Target. Spearheaded by The People’s Union USA, these spending pauses have lasted anywhere from 24 hours to one week. The People’s Union USA has again launched a blackout in response to what organizers perceive as corporate greed, calling on customers to withhold spending money throughout the entire Black Friday and Cyber Week.

A separate movement called Blackout the System has set its second-wave economic blackout for Nov. 25 through Dec. 2, where people are asked to limit their spending during that time and to instead consider shopping at small businesses.

Here’s what to know.

Black Friday, Cyber Monday boycotts, spending blackouts planned in November, December

The People’s Union USA is holding its Black Friday and Cyber Monday blackout from Nov. 28 to Dec. 5, 2025.

Participants are asked to avoid shopping, streaming, ordering online and purchasing fast food. According to the organization’s website, customers who must purchase something during that time are encouraged to buy it from small, local businesses instead of large corporations.

The People’s Union USA founder John Schwarz urged followers to treat Black Friday as a key moment for economic protest, saying on Instagram that “This is one of the biggest opportunities we have to show our strength, to remind them that we are the economy, and to shut down their greed-driven system.”

The upcoming mass blackout from Blackout the System takes place Nov. 25 to Dec. 2, 2025. Similarly, participants will withhold spending, streaming, eating out at restaurants, traveling and working and are asked to stay home during that time.

What is The People’s Union USA? Why are they boycotting?

The People’s Union USA describes itself as a grassroots movement advocating for “economic resistance, corporate accountability, and real justice for the working class.”

The organization, which says it is non-political, aims to “unite everyday Americans against greed and corruption” and has criticized companies for rolling back diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.

Target, Walmart, McDonald’s respond to previous consumer boycotts

Target, which was on the receiving end of a People’s Union USA boycott earlier in 2025, has faced significant backlash over the past several months. The company reported that sales were down, the retailer cut about 1,800 corporate jobs, and former CEO Brian Cornell stepped down in August. According to previous Arizona Republic reporting, Target acknowledged in its 10-K filing for fiscal year 2024 how its rollback of diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives may have led to “adverse perceptions of our business, consumer boycotts, litigation, investigations, and regulatory proceedings.”

Walmart, another retailer on the boycott list, previously told USA TODAY that it is “strengthening communities nationwide through job creation, supplier growth, and over $1.7 billion in cash and in-kind donations last year” when responding to April boycotts. “We remain dedicated to earning the business of all Americans and giving our time and resources to causes that uplift and unite communities who rely on us every day.”

In response to the boycotts, McDonald’s said in a June 2025 statement that it was “disappointed to see these misleading claims that distort our values and misrepresent our actions,” USA TODAY reports. McDonald’s added that “As a brand that serves millions of people every day, McDonald’s opens our doors to everyone, and our commitment to inclusion remains steadfast.”

When is Black Friday 2025?

Black Friday is on Friday, Nov. 28, 2025. It always falls on the Friday after Thanksgiving.

What day is Cyber Monday 2025?

Cyber Monday falls on the Monday after Thanksgiving, which this year is Monday, Dec. 1, 2025.