Shoppers are on a protest against Walmart, the largest store company in the world. The boycotting Walmart program started on 7 April, and it is planned to last for a full week. The protest was started by a group. The group is called the People’s Union USA. The group is urging customers to stop shopping at Walmart, on its website, and at Sam’s Club, as Walmart owns it.
Why Are People Boycotting Walmart?
The reason for the Walmart boycotting is the decisions made by Walmart. These decisions made the people upset. The company decided to stop its DEI programs last year. You might be wondering What is DEI? It stands for diversity, equity, and inclusion. These programs are made to protect people from different backgrounds to feel secure at work. It is an initiative to stand against discrimination and promote equality.
However, Walmart had promised to support these programs for five years. But it stopped them early. Many people feel this is unfair.
Schwartz on Tuesday said, “This isn’t just about not shopping. It’s a message. We, the people, make the economy work. We’re telling big companies and the leaders that without our support, they have nothing. We are the ones who keep things running.
Who is leading the boycott?
John Schwarz, the leader of the People’s Union USA, says this Walmart protest is not only about diversity. He also says Walmart does not pay enough taxes and undermines workplace diversity. He believes big companies should pay more so working people can pay less.
“We are demanding that these companies take responsibility and contribute their fair share,” Schwarz said. He wants people to stop shopping at Walmart to send a strong message.
The People’s Union has organized boycotts weekly since 28 February. These boycotts include two aimed at Amazon and Nestlé. These boycotts urge people to buy locally if they need something.
Walmart’s Response to the Protest
Walmart replied after the Walmart protest began. The company says it cares a lot about people and the places where it does business.
“Walmart stated that supporting communities is central to its mission of helping people save money and improve their lives.”
Walmart also said it is one of the biggest taxpayers in the country. The company says it gave more than $1.7 billion last year to help with things like charity work, hunger relief, and helping small businesses. Walmart promises to keep supporting backward communities, like they used to before the Walmart protests, but they haven’t said anything about the DEI programme.
What About the DEI Programs?
Even though Walmart ended its DEI programs, the company says it still helps in other ways. These include giving food to people in need, helping during natural disasters, and teaching people new job skills.
But some people say that’s not enough. They want Walmart to bring back its DEI promise. They believe that fairness and equal chances at work are very important, especially for people who face more problems because of their race or background.
What Happens Next?
The Walmart boycotting has become popular online. Many people are sharing posts to ask others not to shop at Walmart this week. Some shoppers say they didn’t know about these changes before and are now thinking about spending their money elsewhere.
It is not clear what will happen after the Walmart protest ends on April 14. People are waiting to see if Walmart will make any changes or bring back its DEI efforts. The People’s Union USA says it will keep speaking up for fairness and regular working people.
Many are watching closely. They want to see if a big company like Walmart will listen when the people raise their voices.
