Did the “economic boycott” held last Friday accomplish what it set out to do?
Shopper traffic was down last Friday, Feb. 28, at several major retailers, according to Placer.ai, a location analytics platform that provides foot traffic data and consumer insights for stores, shopping centers and other locations.
Comparing last Friday to the corresponding Friday a year ago (March 1, 2024), shopper traffic at Target saw a 9.5 percent drop, while Costco saw a 0.1 percent drop, and Walmart was down 6.3 percent. Best Buy was down 3.4 percent; McDonald’s saw a 3.8 percent decline in traffic, and Starbucks was down 3.2 percent.
Placer.ai indicated that it is difficult to ascertain whether the boycott caused shopper traffic declines because shopper traffic in February was trending down anyway from a year ago. Also, cold weather conditions and concerns about tariffs raising prices could have factored into decisions to shop or stay home.
But Placer.ai also indicated that shopper traffic last Friday compared to the year-to-date average — Jan. 1, 2025 to Feb. 27, 2025 — was generally up. Costco rose 1.5 percent; Walmart rose 7.2 percent; Best Buy rose 4.4 percent; McDonald’s was up 28 percent, and Starbucks rose 15.5 percent. Target, however, saw a 4.1 percent decline in shopper traffic last Friday from its year-to-date average.
The “Economic Blackout,” was organized by a nonpartisan grassroots organization called The People’s Union USA, which was started this year and encouraged American shoppers to not shop in stores or online for 24 hours on Feb. 28, except for absolute necessities like food and medicine. The organization’s website states the shopping boycott is “a symbolic start to economic resistance, a day where we show corporations and politicians that we control the economy…If you believe in taking back power, breaking free from economic control, and building a future where the people, not corporations, decide the direction of this country, then join us,” the website states.
The People’s Union USA was founded by John Schwarz, a Queens, N.Y.-born musician and meditation teacher.
Placer.ai said it leverages a panel of tens of millions of devices and utilizes machine learning to make estimates for visits to locations across the country.
R.J. Hottovy, head of analytical research at Placer.ai, commented, “Placer.ai’s data reveals that many retailers experienced year-over-year declines in weekly visits throughout February 2025, driven by post-holiday spending pullbacks, decreased consumer confidence, economic and tariff uncertainty, and unseasonably cold weather. While ‘Economic Blackout’ day on February 28, 2025, may have been influenced by these factors, its specific impact is difficult to isolate, as most retailers saw year-over-year declines in line with recent weekly trends.”
The People’s Union USA plans to call for another shopping boycott on March 28, and is planning boycotts against specific retailers, including Amazon.
