Home Depot, Amazon, Starbucks suffer major boycott from customers

Over the past few months, social and political tensions across the country have heightened as prices increase in stores due to inflation and tariffs, more workers unionize to fight for fair wages, and companies nationwide cut diversity, equity, and inclusion policies out of the picture.

Amid these changes, consumer outrage against companies has increasingly manifested in the form of boycotts, which pose a major threat to sales and profits.

💵💰Don't miss the move: Subscribe to TheStreet's free daily newsletter 💰💵

According to a recent survey from CLYDE/Ipsos, 53% of Americans said that if a company takes a stand on an issue they disagree with, they are less likely to buy their products or use their services.

Target, Walmart, Amazon, and McDonald’s are some of the major companies that have all recently suffered consumer boycotts over their views or how they operate their business. Most of these efforts have been organized by a group called The People’s Union USA, which has been organizing weeklong boycotts of large corporations since February.

According to the group’s website, it aims to “expose corruption and exploitation” and “hold corporations accountable” through these boycotts.

“We’re building a people-powered force that’s not just pushing back, but preparing to take power back from the corporations, the billionaire class, and the political parasites that have been feeding off our work, our wages, and our rights for far too long,” said The People’s Union USA on its website.

Home Depot, Amazon, and Starbucks are the latest targets for consumer boycotts.

Image source: Shutterstock

Home Depot, Amazon, Starbucks face a major threat

Now, the group is focused on three major companies: Amazon (AMZN) , Starbucks (SBUX) , and Home Depot (HD) . The People’s Union USA is urging consumers to boycott these three companies for the full month of July.

In a recent Instagram post, The People’s Union USA founder John Schwarz said the group is organizing a boycott against Amazon because of how it treats workers during Amazon Prime Day sales events and its founder’s alleged minimal tax payments.

“Behind those illusionary deals are workers who are suffering,” said Schwarz. “They are working in extreme heat, on their feet, with no time to breathe. They are pushing their bodies to the limit so Jeff Bezos can throw a multi-million-dollar wedding in Venice. Now that is not success, that is a disconnect. That is a man getting rich while the people making it possible are being pushed to the edge while they barely make a livable wage. And Jeff Bezos makes over $7 million per hour and pays 1.1% in taxes.”

He also said that Starbucks is “no better” than Amazon due to the coffee chain’s recent conflicts with its unionized workers. For example, last year, Starbucks faced a multi-day strike from over 5,000 baristas at 300 of its U.S. stores.

“Starbucks is no better,” said Schwarz. “They talk about community and values, but they actually fire workers who are trying to organize and unionize. They have literally shut down entire stores the second that people start coming together to organize. Starbucks does not want their employees to have a voice, and that should tell you everything right there.”

Schwarz said that the group is also targeting Home Depot due to its decision in March to quietly remove its DEI page from its website.

“And then there's Home Depot,” said Schwarz. “They quietly erased their diversity, equity, and inclusion page, as if standing for fairness or for equality or for representation was something to be ashamed of. That was a choice, and they made it loud and clear.”

The last thing Home Depot, Amazon, and Starbucks needs is a boycott

The monthlong boycott comes during a time when Home Depot and Starbucks have recently suffered from decreased consumer demand.

In Home Depot’s first quarter earnings report for 2025, it revealed that its U.S. comparable sales increased by only 0.2% year-over-year during the quarter. Also, recent data from Placer.ai found that Home Depot’s visits per location were down by 4.2% year-over-year during the first few months of the year.

More Retail:

During the same quarter, Starbucks’ U.S. comparable store sales dipped by 1% year-over-year as transactions declined by 4%.

Even though Amazon saw its U.S. sales increase significantly during the first quarter, the online retail giant is already facing the threat of President Donald Trump’s tariffs raising prices on its website, which could scare away customers.