U.S. consumers were encouraged to avoid non-essential purchases on February 28, 2025, as part of a 24-hour “economic blackout†promoted by The People's Union USA. Organizers presented the action as a demonstration of consumers' collective economic power and urged participants to temporarily withhold spending from major companies.
The People's Union USA described itself as a grassroots, nonpartisan movement focused on advocates for economic resistance, government accountability and corporate reform. The group also characterized itself as a "movement for all."
The February 28 action was intended as a symbolic starting point rather than a claim that one day without spending would by itself transform the U.S. economy. Participants were asked to avoid discretionary purchases from midnight through the end of the day, including online shopping, fast food, gasoline and spending at large retailers.
Why was the economic blackout organized?
The campaign emerged amid persistent concern about household costs and the influence of large corporations on the economy. Although the inflation rate had slowed from its 2022 peak by early 2025, many households were still paying substantially more for necessities than they had before the earlier inflation surge.
According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), U.S. food prices increased 9.9% in 2022, the fastest annual increase since 1979. Food-at-home prices rose even faster, increasing 11.4% during 2022. Those figures describe the earlier inflation shock rather than the rate prevailing in February 2025, but they help explain why price levels remained an important concern for consumers.
Inflation expectations were also rising again in early 2025. A consumer mood poll discussed the University of Michigan's February survey. The university's final February 2025 results showed that year-ahead inflation expectations increased from 3.3% in January to 4.3%, the highest reading since November 2023. That 4.3% figure was an expectation reported by surveyed consumers, not a forecast that inflation was certain to reach that level.
The same University of Michigan survey reported that consumer sentiment declined sharply in February, with respondents expressing concern about the possibility that tariffs could increase prices. The survey results are available directly from the University of Michigan Surveys of Consumers.
What stores were people asked to avoid?
The February 28 campaign broadly called for participants to avoid non-essential spending rather than limiting the action to one company. Its promotional material specifically named large retailers including Walmart, Amazon and Best Buy and also urged people not to spend money on fast food or gasoline.
Organizers made exceptions for necessities such as food, medicine and emergency supplies. When spending was unavoidable, participants were encouraged to support independently owned local businesses instead of major chains.
Founder John Schwarz also said participants could take the day off work if doing so was safe and practical, according to an Instagram post by John Schwarz. That was an appeal from the organizer rather than a requirement of participation.
Was the February 28 blackout specifically about DEI?
The February 28 action was broader than a single dispute over diversity, equity and inclusion policies. The People's Union USA framed the blackout around corporate influence, economic inequality, prices and government accountability, while also expressing support for DEI initiatives.
At the same time, separate consumer campaigns in early 2025 focused more directly on corporate changes to DEI programs. Other boycotts were targeting specific firms, including Target after the retailer announced changes to some of its diversity-related goals and programs.
Those corporate changes took place during a broader shift in federal policy. President Donald Trump signed executive actions in January 2025 directing federal agencies to end federal DEI and DEIA programs and later issued an order addressing what the administration described as illegal discrimination in both federal contracting and the private sector. The original article's background discussion of those actions can be found in this Executive Order explainer. The January 20 federal DEI order is also available from the White House.
Where were participants encouraged to shop instead?
The People's Union USA told participants that if they had to make purchases during the blackout, they should prioritize small, locally owned businesses. The distinction was central to the campaign: the organizers' stated target was concentrated corporate economic power rather than neighborhood businesses or essential household spending.
What could a one-day spending boycott actually accomplish?
A 24-hour boycott does not necessarily translate into an equivalent permanent loss of sales for retailers. Consumers can postpone purchases until another day, which means some spending may simply shift rather than disappear. The financial effect also depends on participation levels and how much normal spending is deferred or canceled.
For organizers, however, the immediate objective was also symbolic. The campaign sought to demonstrate that consumers could coordinate their purchasing decisions and use spending behavior as a form of protest. The February 28 blackout was presented as the first in a broader series of consumer actions rather than as a standalone event expected to produce a measurable nationwide economic disruption by itself.
That distinction is important when evaluating the campaign: its significance depended not only on one day's retail sales but also on whether the action could build sustained participation, influence public discussion or lead consumers to make longer-term changes in where they spent their money.
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