Amazon Faces Boycott amid Economic Blackout Movement

By Evans Momodu
Published 14:45 UK GMT, March 7, 2025


A growing grassroots movement is urging consumers to participate in an extended boycott against Amazon and its subsidiaries, including Zappos, Ring, Whole Foods, Twitch, and Prime Video, starting today.

This initiative follows a viral "economic blackout" event last week that called for a 24-hour halt on shopping at major retailers.

Amazon Boycott Gains Momentum

John Schwarz, the 57-year-old founder of The People’s Union USA, is spearheading the Amazon boycott. He is encouraging Americans to refrain from purchasing from the e-commerce giant for an entire week, aiming to send a strong message about corporate power and labour practices.

“Amazon is one of the wealthiest and most powerful corporations in the world,” Schwarz stated on his Instagram account Thursday. “It crushes small businesses, exploits workers, and actively fights against unions while accumulating billions in profits. It could contribute positively to society, but it chooses not to.”

The extended boycott capitalises on the widespread attention generated by the "economic blackout" on February 28, an event that gained unexpected traction after Schwarz’s social media post went viral.

Millions viewed the post, and celebrities such as Stephen King and Bette Midler publicly endorsed the movement. Media outlets also picked up the story, amplifying its reach.

According to The People’s Union USA’s website, the organisation is a "grassroots movement dedicated to economic resistance, government accountability, and corporate reform." Schwarz emphasizes that the ultimate goal is to unify Americans against systemic corruption and corporate greed.

Effectiveness of the Economic Blackout

Despite significant online support, experts remain sceptical about the boycott's financial impact on Amazon and other major retailers. Analysts in consumer activism and corporate strategy note that large-scale boycotts often struggle to make a dent in the revenue streams of billion-dollar corporations.

Data from Placer.ai, a retail analytics firm, suggests that the February 28 blackout had minimal impact on retailers’ bottom lines. The company tracks store visits using phone location data and reported that many retailers already experienced year-over-year declines in February 2025.

These downturns were attributed to factors such as post-holiday spending slowdowns, decreased consumer confidence, economic uncertainty, and unseasonably cold weather.

Because these declines were consistent with recent trends, Placer.ai noted that isolating the impact of the economic blackout was challenging.

Amazon has not yet responded to request for comment regarding the boycott.
Source: CNN