An organization is calling on Americans to participate in what it is calling the “economic blackout of February 28,” meaning to refrain from purchasing products from large retailers for 24 hours.
The national protest comes amid rising prices for everything from gasoline to groceries — including, notably, eggs.
What do you need to know?
Who is behind the February 28 blackout?
The February 28 boycott is an initiative of the People’s Union USA, a self-proclaimed “grassroots movement dedicated to economic resistance, government accountability, and corporate reform.”
The group, founded by John Schwarz, claims it is not affiliated with any political party. According to the organization’s website, its goal is to “unite Americans against the corruption and greed that have kept us struggling for decades.”
What is the goal of the boycott?
“Throughout our lives, they have told us we had no choice, that this is how things are, that we have to accept these insane prices, corporate greed, billion-dollar tax breaks, all while we struggle to survive,” Schwarz said in a recent Instagram video. “For one day, we will finally turn the tables.”
According to Schwarz, the idea is to halt all purchases from large corporations, both in physical stores and online, from 12:00 AM to 11:59 PM on Friday, February 28.
What about medicines or emergency supplies?
On its website, the group is asking consumers not to spend money on “non-essential” items.
For essential purchases like food, medicine, or emergency supplies, Schwarz is encouraging participants to buy them from a local small business instead of a large retailer.
“Do not go out and shop at any big and important store,” Schwarz said in the video. “If necessary, go to the local pizzeria, the small local boutique.”
Blackout affects all major retailers
Some supporters of the blackout have suggested boycotting specific corporations that ended their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs following President Trump’s executive order aimed at eliminating DEI initiatives. But while the People’s Union calls the abandonment of DEI programs “regressive and unacceptable,” the February 28 boycott is aimed at all major retailers, regardless of their stance on DEI.
“If we interrupt the economy for just ONE day, it sends a powerful message,” the organization stated on its website.
What happens after February 28?
Schwarz told USA Today that he hopes to boycott other companies “that are really the biggest offenders within the system.”
The People’s Union is already planning week-long blackouts targeting specific retailers, including Amazon, Target, and Walmart.
The first, targeting Amazon, is scheduled to begin on March 7.
Source: Yahoo News