Mass US retailers Walmart, Amazon and Target have retreated from their diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) commitments, leaving Black, Indigenous and people of colour (BIPOC) beauty founders facing uncertain futures.
Over the past five years, these retailers championed DEI initiatives, pledging enhanced shelf space and a nurturing environment for BIPOC-founded brands. In 2020, Walmart CEO Doug McMillon vowed to create more opportunities for minority-owned businesses, including tailored shelf offerings to meet the specific needs of Black customers. Target committed to advancing Black-owned and Black-founded firms by providing access to resources and expertise, aiming to source and design significantly more products from Black creators, designers, vendors, agencies, contractors and suppliers. Amazon, too, introduced programmes such as the Racial Equity Action and Change (REACH) initiative to bolster diversity within its supplier base. These initiatives, ignited by the racial reckoning following the death of George Floyd in 2020, ushered a wave of diverse beauty brands into mainstream retail.
