The People’s Union USA has launched a boycott against McDonald’s, slated to begin on June 24, as part of its efforts to combat corporate rollbacks of diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. The fast-food chain’s decision to halt setting goals for increasing diversity in senior leadership and end a supplier diversity program sparked the backlash.
McDonald’s was one of several corporations to roll back DEI initiatives in January, citing an “evolving landscape around DEI”. However, the company’s chief people officer claims that its programming has not changed. The boycott is part of a growing trend of consumer actions against companies rolling back DEI efforts, inspired by President Donald Trump’s executive orders aimed at eliminating “illegal DEI” in the federal government and private sector.
The boycott is led by John Schwarz, who claims that McDonald’s prioritizes profit over people, citing instances such as price gouging and tax evasion. The People’s Union has also announced upcoming boycotts against Starbucks, Amazon, Home Depot, Walmart, and Lowe’s, with the first of these starting on July 1st.
The backlash against DEI rollbacks has gained momentum during the 2024 presidential campaign, with pro-DEI consumers emerging as a key counterpoint to Trump’s policies. The impact of boycotts on companies’ bottom lines is unclear, but actions such as Target’s decision to end some diversity policies have led to sharp declines in consumer spending.
McDonald’s faces increased scrutiny at a time when its sales are declining sharply in the US market, with the largest drop since 2020. Despite efforts to win back customers with menu changes and deals, the company remains under pressure from economic headwinds.
Source: https://eu.usatoday.com/story/money/2025/06/23/mcdonalds-2025-dei-boycott/84321975007