Walmart responds to major boycott from customers | Official Website of Louis Velazquez, entrepreneur, finance guy and tech innovator

Walmart (WMT) , which has recently been fighting to keep prices low in its stores amid looming tariffs, has another significant threat on its plate.

The retail giant is facing a major boycott threat from customers after far-right group Libs of Chicago tweeted a photo of a full-page ad that ran in the New York Times in March promoting the No Kings movement.

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The movement aims to show an act of “defiance” against President Donald Trump’s decision to host a massive military parade in Washington, D.C., on his birthday, which is on Flag Day, June 14.

No Kings organizers claim on their website that the parade is a “made-for-TV display of dominance,” and have planned over 1,500 anti-Trump protests nationwide to show that “real power isn’t staged in Washington. It rises up everywhere else.”

“We’re the people of the United States of America,” reads the No Kings ad in the Times. “The honor, dignity, and integrity of our country are not for sale. Our government is of the people, by the people, for the people.”

The bottom of the ad states that it was paid for by Christy Walton, the billionaire widow of John Walton, one of the sons of Walmart founder Sam Walton. Christy inherited a portion of her husband’s Walmart shares after he died in 2005.

“If there was ever a time to boycott Walmart, it’s now,” said Libs of Chicago in the tweet, which has amassed thousands of views.

Walmart faces blowback from an ad it did not endorse.

Image source&colon; Bloomberg/Getty Images

Walmart issues bold response to boycott

In response to the boycott call, a Walmart spokesperson told Forbes in a statement that the company is not associated with Christy in any way.

“The advertisements from Christy Walton are in no way connected to or endorsed by Walmart,” said the spokesperson. “She does not serve on the board or play any role in decision-making at Walmart.”

The Walmart spokesperson also responded to the recent protests in Los Angeles over Trump’s immigration policy, claiming the retailer does not endorse violence.

“We condemn violence, including when it’s directed towards law enforcement, and the damaging of property,” said the spokesperson. “As a company with associates and customers in the Los Angeles region, we remain focused on their safety and that of impacted communities.”

Walmart spots major change in customer behavior

This is not the first time this year that Walmart has faced a big boycott from customers. In April and May, a group called The People’s Union organized two massive weeklong boycotts of the retail giant, accusing the company of contributing to economic corruption.

“We’ve been watching prices rise while wages stay the same,” said The People’s Union USA founder John Schwarz in an Instagram post in April. “We’ve watched these companies rake in billions while families can barely afford groceries, and Walmart, just like the rest of them, has been a part of that problem. So this is where we, once again, draw the line.”

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The People’s Union USA has been organizing “economic blackouts” of large corporations since February. So far, it has also recently organized specific boycotts of Amazon, Target, General Mills, and soon, McDonald’s.

During the first quarter of the year, Walmart’s comparable sales increased by 4.5% year-over-year. However, Walmart CEO Doug McMillon warned during an earnings call last month that the company is starting to notice customers pulling back their spending in several categories.

Walmart’s foot traffic also declined during the quarter. According to recent data from Placer.ai, the retailer’s foot traffic in stores declined by 2.4% year-over-year.

In February, Walmart visits dropped by 5.9% year-over-year, and in March, visits fell by 4%. However, visits spiked by 4.5% in April, aligning with the Easter holiday.