A “calculated strike” by advocacy group The People’s Union USA is set to begin on Friday, with Americans urged to boycott Amazon and several of its subsidiaries. The one-week boycott aims to reduce Amazon’s sales and protest the company’s impact on small businesses and workers.
The leader, John Schwarz, wants to “hit” Amazon hard and take a stand against its treatment of workers after it reported a 10% year-on-year increase in net sales. The boycott targets companies including Amazon Alexa, IMDb, Prime Video, Ring, Twitch, Whole Foods, and Zappos.
It’s unclear how many people will participate, but the group has raised over $120,000 on GoFundMe to fund costs associated with organizing the protest. Last month, the group successfully organized a 24-hour consumer blackout against major retailers, including Nestle and Walmart.
The movement “went international,” with people from around the world commenting on videos and expressing solidarity. However, some analysts argue that Schwarz’s previous boycott had limited impact due to Amazon’s continued high sales.
The People’s Union USA is also organizing boycotts of other companies, including Target, which has faced backlash after ditching its diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. The group aims to promote Black-owned businesses instead.
As the “economic blackout” begins on Friday, consumers are urged to avoid shopping at Amazon and its affiliated companies until March 14.
Source: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/amazon-boycott-economic-blackout-b2710156.html