Group calls for 'economic blackout' boycott Friday

A grassroots group is calling on Americans to abstain from spending money Friday in a loosely organized boycott of the current economic and political climate.

The “blackout” protest comes amid skyrocketing housing costs and stubborn inflation that's driven up the price of groceries and other everyday goods. The advocacy group leading the charge, People's Union USA, which says it is not affiliated with any political party, wants customers to avoid purchases from major businesses and forgo using credit or debit cards for a 24-hour period.

"As our first initial act, we turn it off," the group's website reads. "For one day we show them who really holds the power."

The People's Union USA says the goal is to unite Americans against what it sees as corporate greed contributing to high costs.

“For our entire lives, they have told us we have no choice … we have to accept these insane prices, the corporate greed, the billionaire tax breaks, all while we struggle to just to get by," People’s Union USA founder John Schwarz said in a video uploaded to Instagram. "They've made us actually believe that we need them.”

"For one day, we are going to finally turn the tables," he added.

Inflation continued its upswing in January with increased costs for groceries, gasoline and rent. The Labor Department reported earlier this month that January’s consumer price index was up 3 percent compared to a year ago and up from 2.9 percent over the previous month. It had hit a post-pandemic low at 2.4 percent last fall.

According to a recent poll from Navigator Research, 3 in 5 Americans cite corporate greed as a “major cause” of rising costs.

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