Melissa Butler, founder and CEO of The Lip Bar, shared that sales have declined by 30% since the boycott of Target began earlier this year.
The boycott is in response to Target’s decision to roll back its DEI efforts, which include a commitment to increasing Black representation by 20% and a program to feature more products by Black- and minority-owned businesses.
Butler is now calling on consumers to support Black-owned businesses through other channels, including buying from them directly.
The Lip Bar’s sales declining
In a video posted on social media, Butler revealed that The Lip Bar’s sales at Target have taken a hit “I’m like, yeah, our sales are down 30, 40%. Like that’s exactly what we thought was going to happen.”
She adds: “We knew that there was going to be a huge impact, and in order to offset that impact, it requires people to be really intentional about where they’re shopping, meaning you have to go directly to that business.”
In a previous video, Butler expressed disappointment over Target’s decision to scale back its DEI commitments, though she admitted she wasn’t surprised: “I’m not that surprised. I always thought that the 2020 commitments were a farce.”
The Boycott against Target continues
The Target boycott gained traction after Pastor Jamal Bryant rallied more than 100,000 people to commit to a 40-day protest against the retailer during Lent. The movement, which spanned cities like Atlanta, Houston, Jacksonville, and Alexandria, demanded that Target uphold its promises to support Black communities and businesses.
Despite nine straight weeks of declining foot traffic at Target, Bryant insists the boycott will continue until more demands are met.
“We had four asks and only walked away with one thing. I want to tell you what that one thing is. Target has agreed that by July the 31st they will complete the pledge of $2 billion for black business,” he said in The Christian Post
Image: Because Of Them We Can
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