“Buy Black”: Target to Add Icon to Products Produced by Black-Owned Businesses
“We have started to implement icons online to help our guests find and support Black-owned brands and founders when they shop online.”
Including race labels on products… what could possibly go wrong?
Following the Black Lives Matter riots, major retail chain Target announced it will, “implement icons online to help our guests find and support Black-owned brands and founders when they shop online.”
Fashion rags and even Food Network are applauding the move. From Allure:
Target’s new feature is a small beige badge showcasing several neutral-colored hearts, which the company is using to label all Black-owned and Black-founded brands on its website. The badge appears in the retailer’s “at a glance” category, located within each product page’s details section. There, Target also features badges to identify products that are clean, vegan, and cruelty-free.
This recent effort is a result of Target’s customer feedback, according to a company statement issued to Allure. “We have carried a number of Black-owned brands for years and continue to listen to guests to ensure we offer a compelling and relevant assortment that supports our guests’ needs,” the statement reads. “Based on what our guests are searching for, we have started to implement icons online to help our guests find and support Black-owned brands and founders when they shop online.”
And Food Network:
Months after the start of Black Lives Matter protests across the country, the work toward racial justice isn’t slowing down. We’re continuing to learn more ways to support the Black community. One of the easiest things we can do? Try and incorporate more Black-owned businesses we love into our everyday lives. Now, Target is making that easier than ever. In the “At a Glance” section under products on their website, the big-box store has added a badge that identifies Black-owned or founded brands, such as Partake Foods Cookies and BLK & Bold Coffee. …This call to action isn’t new — in fact it’s the basis of a historic movement: Buy Black. Its purpose is to raise consumer awareness of Black-owned brands and thus help correct the inherent inequalities many face. For example, COVID-19 didn’t affect every business equally. Between February and April of this year, 41% of Black-owned businesses closed for good, compared to 17% of White-owned businesses. Since BLM began again in earnest, so have the efforts to highlight Black-owned products. Official Black Wall Street, an app that curates Black-owned retailers, has 686K Instagram followers. DoorDash also launched a new initiative to amplify independent Black-owned businesses and Black entrepreneurs in their app. While the Buy Black movement helps educate shoppers, some entrepreneurs argue that it’s a small bandage over a larger wound. The inequities that permeate the retail industry begin long before products even hit the shelves. For example, Black and Latino entrepreneurs receive only 1% of startup funding in the U.S. In order for a business to make it into a store like Target, where space is at a premium, it needs capital and financial advising, as well as help with marketing and strategy. Converting one-time customers and achieving scale are another hurdle altogether. Fortunately, there are signs that the playing field is starting to level out. Some Black food entrepreneurs say that more investors have approached them since the nationwide protests against police brutality started. Riana Lynn, the chief executive officer of Journey Foods, has raised $800,000. Along with consumer awareness, these are the long-term changes that are needed to guarantee Black-owned brands are equally represented on the shelf so we can buy – and enjoy – them for a long time to come.
Does anyone learn history anymore? ANYONE?! Don’t answer that. Too depressing.
Wow. It’s like we’re living in the Golden Age of Bad Ideas.
— J.A. Schneider (@JASchneider204) August 10, 2020
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Comments
Guess Blacks only water fountains are next.
At least the all the bathrooms in Target are available for whatever sex you feel you are at the moment.
And a black only safe space at the back of buses and aircraft.
“(N)” next to names of blacks in the, uh, white pages of the phone directory.
Target is part of the Democrat Party Plantation you know.
They will demand front of the bus with repenting whites in the back. Do not make eye contact with the people in the front of the bus as you take your place.
Unrepentant whites will walk. Those not incarcerated.
They do the same for feminist and transgender-owned businesses. Diversity dogma progressed with good intentions advocated by the Progressive Church under its Pro-Choice, selective, opportunistic quasi-religion (“ethics”).
Agree … except replace that deceptive “pro choice” with “pro ABORTION”
Affirmative Action retailing. What a crock. Maybe Target should give some of those cushy do nothing, highly paid board seats to some inner city black folks too.
As if we didn’t need another reason to avoid Target…
Maybe this will discourage black people from taking the lid off cream and licking it if it came from a black owned company.
But did it come from a black Angus cow?
I’m a bit dyslexic. So I saw “Black Angus cow” as Black cow’s Anus.”
No
Aberdeen Angus (correct name) is a beef breed and is not used to produce milk and hence, cream.
Oops! I meant ice cream.
You know what this will make me do? Not buy the items. I refuse to participate in this nonsense. Quality products should stand on their own merits, NOT on some idiotic identity politic scam.
There is also an app to ID black owned businesses. Seems like that could backfire in a huge way too.
I already use a website to tell me of muslim-operated businesses.
Is there a link to it?
Muslimgirl.com
Americanmuslimconsumer.com
http://www.danielpipes.org/comments/109812
I thought the same thing when I read about it. And I suspect a lot of other people will too. Most of the people I know are against this constant drum beat of black this and white that and this will only make them angrier.
I all ready refuse to shop at Target, even on-line, because of their willingness to put my grand-daughters in harms way by allowing perverts in the ladies bathrooms. One more reason to loathe them.
Better yet … this is an excellent reason to not SHOP (at all) at Target. I was going to shop there today, but not now. Talk about pandering to another group of “victims.”
Does Target think Blacks cannot compete in the open market? The KKK could only dream of such labels.
It is so disgusting and demeaning, people don’t even know.
You poor things, you can’t get by in life without our help….
“disgusting and demeaning”
That is how saw it. But, I am sure Biden thinks it makes sense.
Biden says if they don’t vote for him they are not a black owned business.
Now this is a two edge sword.
How many customers will decide not to buy the product because they are against the evil Marxist BLM movement?
So true! On FOX News this am, there was an article about one of the “organizers” of the BLM in Chicago. She defended the recent looting by blacks of Chicago’s downtown businesses as a king of “reparation” and explained that the looting criminals need $$ to eat, buy stuff, etc. (IF the looters were employed persons, except for the CCPvirus, they would have been receiving unemployment benefits from IL, plus the $2,00 per month from federal taxpayers.)
Can we just go five damn minutes without hearing how precious and saintly black people are?
No. And, that’s the problem.
Perhaps looters should take only items marked by the race label
Rioters burned down Black owned businesses that they KNEW were not owned by Whites, Asians, etc.
Being successful – owning a business – is ACTING White or Asian.
Target trying to be woke is what caused me to stop shopping there.
Somewhere between gender neutral toys, all in one restrooms and dressing rooms and their claim to ban legally carried firearms, I dumped them like a date with Herpes.
Same here. Not one more dime.
Will this be the new scam like the guy that puts his wife on as owner and CEO (in name only) of his company so he can become a SWaM vendor for state products?
(Yes, it’s a real thing in Virginia…small businesses, women and minority owned. We pay extra for all kinds of crap in higher ed to make sure it comes from a SWaM vendor and it’s annoying as all hell when amazon, wal-mart, etc. are all cheaper)
Swamped,
How I love ya
How I love ya
My dear il’ SWaMyyyyyy
First line is “SWaMyyy”.,
Well, in The People’s Republic of New York, it’s not a “scam”, it’s touted, both for woke-points and as part of the business model.
I wonder if Proconsul Cuomo-the-Younger will add buying them a drink.
Are there special black drinks?
Don’t even remind of the contracting preferences. We were honest that our business was 50/50 and lost lots of contracts because we wouldn’t say it was 51/49.
Now. I’ll know what not to buy.
Products carrying the label will likely see a decline in sales.
Anyone wants to bet?
Thereby proving how racist we all are.
Proving how we hate discrimination based on race.
heh want to see heads explode?
get trader joe to add similar to their already nicely named items.
let’s get little stickers on our fruits and vegetables as well, this tomato picked by a POC, this bell pepper by by a latino
It’s been years since I was in a targay I have no plans to darken a door anytime soon.
will they get there own section in the store as well?
If Target was to guarantee that black produced items were manufactured with 100% USA labor I would be more likely to purchase.
Name any manufacturing country, predominately Black, that makes good worth buying. I can name one business in only one country… Courtney boots from Zimbabwe… and that is a very niche market.
This is the most insane conceit I have ever heard of, in my life. A move that is intrinsically corrosive to improved race relations, and, which undermines notions of color-blindness.
Coming next, we can put a yellow Star of David on products produced by companies owned or operated by Jewish Americans.
I will make it a point to refrain from buying any product that is marked with a racial identifier, simply out of principle.
To be clear, I suggest that the Jew-hating Dhimmi-crats would love to be able to single out Jewish-owned businesses, so that they could avoid patronizing them.
And I refuse to shop at any and all businesses that promote such division. Target is just the latest example.
So, if I buy a product that has “black-owned” on it, will my name be registered in a federal database to be noted to the IRS or some other federal agency to be used for/against me in the future? Will I then receive some sort of stamp or tattoo on the right hand or forehead indicating that I can continue to buy or sell?
If a law enforcement agency is wondering whether or not to charge me with something will they look to see if it is listed in this database that in the last year I bought nothing from a black-owned business so give me the worst, or that I did once so the charge against me is lowered to something less? How much do I need to buy from a black-owned business to be free from the law?
I once bought a Godfather’s Pizza, didn’t Herman Cain own that? Would that count or does the black owner need to be certified “black enough” to count?
Gosh, I’m getting dizzy!!
Sadly your questions are all relevant.
As an alternative, I propose a label that consists of a series of bands. The color of the left band indicates the college where the product designer/engineeer graduated. The color of the middle band indicates the college where the CEO graduated. The color of the right band indicates the college where the head of sales graduated. First, this will allow alumni to support their schools (a cause more meaningful, but equally tribal, than political identity groups) Second, if a school has a good reputation for engineering, or business or marketing, the information may have some relevance to the desirability of the underlying product. The race of the owner of a company has no possible relevance to product quality. Third, this will allow all products to carry the label without the need for each cultural group (e.g., Irish Americans, Native Americans, Polish Americans) to lobby Target for their own label. The bands could rely upon a well know coloring/logo system and would be as instantly recognizable as football helmits. I do not have the mental capacity to learn all of the possible label colors that Target will be assigning to all of the new labels under its program.
The best thing about the US capital markets is that ownership interests are fungible. Most large companies are publicly traded and with a few SEC restrictions, ownership is anonymous and frequently changing. Another key factor is that the trademark is owned by a US company but the manufacturing and craftmanship is divorced from it. So, Apple in Cupertino sells iPhones made in China. UnderArmour sell logo merchandise that is made in China. The big three automakers have most of their parts made overseas. So, knowing the race of the “owner” of a company has very little connection to how the profits of the company are actually distributed or the race of the people paid to make the product. This label idea is a comforting throwback to the 18th century.
How bigoted. Total backfire.
Some, Select Black Lives Matter is a Pro-Choice sect of the Progressive Church.
Sanctimonious hypocrisy? Technically, the “secular” Pro-Choice quasi-religion (“ethics”), dictated by mortal gods and goddesses, is founded on selective, opportunistic “principles” that take a knee to political congruence (“=”), and stand on the graves of hundreds of millions over a multi-decadal period.
there’s nothing target sells that can’t be bought somewhere else—perhaps an effort to inform all the “ peaceful “ blm rioters/looters that a brutha -owned company produces the goods—“ hey bro ! Put that back. A brutha owns that company ! “
right
Some pertinent questions:
Is Target going to call this endeavor: BLM – Black Labels Matter?
What about businesses that “identify” as Black-owned? Even if that’s objectively impossible. After all, Target was among the first to embrace men “identifying” as women (and vice-versa), which is objectively impossible?
What’s the threshold for owners being able to claim being “Black?” One drop of blood? Halfsies like B. Hussein Obama? Over 50%?
If customers choose unlabeled products instead of “Black owned” ones, are they racist?
Holy Moley……anyone know which direction Galt’s Gulch is?
I can’t wait to see how many of these black-labeled products are also labeled to be “Made in China”.
The good thing about this is now companies will know exactly what it costs to go Marxist, right down to the penny and specific product. No ambiguity.
Isn’t skin color a continuous function unlike male/female (I had to say that)? So, how does Target determine who is Black enough to qualify for the “Black” label? Do they define the technical criteria and the tools/instruments used to apply that criteria? Or, does one just self-identify as “Black.” Or, be a member of BLM?
Target must actually be run by people with SJW degrees. One must be trained to be “Target” stupid. It is not a natural condition.
Why don’t they just put a picture of Aunt Jemima or Uncle Ben on them?
I bet that KKK members are real happy about this decision. It removes the guess work
Whatever happened to buying the best product at the best price?
That sounds so counterrevolutionary, comrade.
First they let men go in the womens rooms (and yes, a man in my town got arrested photographing a little girl in there), and now they are dividing things by race??? Glad I stopped going there when they did the first stupid thing. Target is going to go out of business if they think this is a good thing.
Target was based in Minn. where all the riots started (this round anyway).
“Anti-racism” is the new racism.
Diversity dogma (i.e. class-based taxonomic systems, processes, and beliefs), not limited to racism, sexism, and genderism, is a progressive class of bigotry. Don’t indulge color judgments.
If it was a straight up marketing plan and American made I have no problem.
If Targét sold only American-made products most of their shelves would be empty.
The aamevis true of virtually all retailers.
I quit shopping at Target when they booted the Salvation Army Christmas kettles from their entrances as its part of the War on Christmas.
This is the Age of Progress… one step forward, two steps backward.
How many black-owned businesses will ask to NOT be a part of this patronizing nonsense?
All that want to survive……
Target is going down the tubes just like Macy’s imo…
Another civil rights movement founded on a false and creative foundation that is a first-order forcing of progressive corruption, dysfunction, and liberal damage.
Well, not helpful for business, unless you want reduced sales. Definitely will look more close at all labels in all stores now the negrophiles are promoting african ancestry products for sale.
Always check labels on produce in supermarkets: if it is Mexico, no buy, if it is California, no buy, nor would accept them as gifts from the store. Produce constantly being recalled for salmonella or other bacterial infections, all due to bathroom habits of the multicultural illegal employees.
I always thoroughly wash my produce. Hopefully that helps protect against things like salmonella but I’m not sure. My mom told me to do it every time.
Oh please, pretty please…
Can we have little green crescents for Muslims, yellow stars for Jews, red Crosses for Christians?. Lavender phallic symbols for gays?
/sarc
Tsk tsk. Let’s not leave out those special anatomically female shaped pink hats for the lesbians that are all the pms rage on the left. /further sarc
Please, show some culture. They are “aubergines.”
I’m ahead of the curve. I’ve been buying from Black Rifle Coffee for several years.
So, a guy, who wants to do whatever he can to avoid contributing to black Americans’s enjoying the American dream, walks into Target and now, rather than buying what had been his favorite product, picks another that is not labeled “black.”
The story notes it is only on-line. If Target was really dedicated they would ensure all products in the stores are so marked also.
Didn’t MLK state that he dreamed of a day when people wouldn’t be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character? Any black person who wants to be judged by their skin color is a racist and worthy of everyone’s contempt.
The Random House Websters College Dictionary scores every word on how offensive it is, making possible the composition of really offensive prose.
Surely the white supremacists that are found everywhere will use these tags to avoid black-owned business products.
Normal people who love America will use these labels to show Target that they are obnoxious idiots.
If Target wants to go all-in with Black Lives Matter America-haters then they can just leave their stores open for looting any time someone feels put upon by The Man and needs a new 65″ TV, but trying to impress people with these asinine labels and telling them, at the same time that they are evil is not a smart way of doing business.
But … they managed to get through with opening their restrooms to demented old men in dresses ogling young girls on the toilet so I guess they figure they’re bulletproof.
If the leftists truly believe that there is an anti-black racism problem in America, then they would realize that this badge is tantamount to a contemporary star of david label.
“Including race labels on products… what could possibly go wrong?”
Some marketing wiz, without a window in his office thought this up. Clearly, did not think it through. Wait for the backfire, in 3, 2, 1…
Sort of kind of on topic, the head idiots at Chick Fil A said we should offer to shine the shoes of blacks.
It may be wishful thinking combined with my optimism, but, the lines now seem shorter at my local one.
I deleted my app and stopped going at that point
LOL.
I would guess that is going to have the opposite effect of what they are proposing.
I would also venture that there are going to be very few of these labels. Target might have to start putting them on random products just to make it seem as if black-owned businesses are contributing much to the economy …
Before I retired, my business had many loyal customers but no guests.
Here in Australia Target has gone broke and is being closed down. (More to do with poor marketing and management than PC bulls***.)
If my memory serves me correctly, they got handed their heads on a plate in Canada for the same reason.
Wonder if any of those now pushing and demanding all this race based special treatment and priviledge and exemption from laws for blacks and redefining an entire race of whites as evil and deserving of horrible treatment and removal of basic rights as EXACTLY the same mindset and justification used to allow slavery throughout history. Probably not really. But I doubt they would care. It’s become apparent that that it’s not the actual practice of racism or Jim Crow laws or discrimination or maybe even slavery they have an issue with…its that they want to be the ones wielding that power.
Oh I for sure see vengeance in a lot of what is being done to white males, older whites.
I guess we are supposed to believe BLM is a merciful group with altruistic motivations. And though blacks are enslaving people in the world, still, the blacks in BLM would never have anything like that in their hearts for us white folks.
If the activists didn’t loot their stores and burn down their neighborhoods every couple of years, blacks might have a better chance at attracting the capital they need to get their business going.
This stunt has “BACKFIRE” written all over it.
It’s a tossup. The people who would be responsible for the backfire have likely stopped shopping there entirely.
The plus side is that the icon makes it easierto avoid buying those items–I certainly would if I were stupid enough tossup at a Target store.What we need is a counter movement to BLM–“NOT ME”
Did those at Target who made this most recent discriminatory decision do so because of “white guilt”? Or did they think this labeling of a few products will protect its stores from further shoplifting? vandalism? burning? looting? Get real, Target! The USA doesn’t need one more panderer to the awful BLM demands. (I also considered using toady, sycophant and lickspitter.)
What is Target’s new symbol for Jewish-owned businesses?
Asking for ein Freunde.