One-fifth of Americans plan to permanently boycott companies that have aligned their policies with Donald Trump’s agenda, a new poll conducted for The Guardian said. The survey, conducted by the Harris Poll, underscores a growing consumer backlash that could have lasting economic implications.

As major corporations such as Amazon, Target, and Tesla face economic boycotts, the poll suggests that consumer sentiment may be shifting in ways that businesses have underestimated.

The Guardian reports that nearly 36% of Americans say they are currently or will soon be participating in boycotts, signaling widespread dissatisfaction with corporate responses to political and social issues.

"Companies and consumers are playing a high-stakes game of chicken – corporations betting on convenience winning out over conviction, while consumers wield their spending power like a weapon," Libby Rodney, chief strategy officer at the Harris Poll, told The Guardian.

'Permanent changes to spending habits'

"The data suggests this is a miscalculation," she said, noting that with 20% of Americans making permanent changes to their spending habits and nearly a third of boycotters holding out indefinitely, businesses can no longer assume consumer loyalty.

According to The Guardian, the intensity of these boycotts varies across demographic groups. Among younger Americans, participation is particularly strong: 53% of Gen Zers and 46% of millennials say they are boycotting, compared to 30% of Gen Xers and just 22% of Boomers.

The poll also found that Black (53%) and Hispanic (51%) Americans are significantly more engaged in boycotts than white Americans (29%). Politically, Democrats (49%) are far more likely to participate than independents (32%) or conservatives (29%).

Americans reportedly cited several motivations behind their decisions. The top reason was demonstrating economic power and influence (53%), followed by expressing dissatisfaction with government policies (49%). Additionally, 46% of those boycotting pointed to corporate rollbacks on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives as a key reason.

Seperate boycott movements

Some movements, such as the Latino Freeze Movement, have encouraged Hispanic communities to avoid spending on non-essential goods to protest companies that have scaled back DEI programs. Other community-driven efforts, like the "Target Fast" initiated by Baltimore pastor Rev. Jamal Bryant, frame the boycotts as a moral and spiritual stand against corporate rollbacks on diversity commitments.

According to The Guardian, major retailers like Target and Walmart have defended their decisions, arguing they are adjusting to a shifting legal and political landscape.

Trump, who has vowed to eliminate DEI programs, signed executive orders dismantling federal diversity efforts. While the full impact of his administration’s policies on the private sector remains uncertain, some corporations appear to be prioritizing political alignment over customer loyalty.

A previous Harris poll, also cited by The Guardian, found that 31% of Americans intend to "opt out" of the economy this year due to the changing political climate. Whether these boycotts will force companies to reconsider their policies remains to be seen, but the numbers suggest that consumer activism is becoming a force businesses can no longer ignore.