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More than half of shoppers prefer companies remain neutral on social and political issues: survey

Numbers Game: The numbers you need to know
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Hannah Minn

less than 3 min read

Retail news that keeps industry pros in the know

Retail Brew delivers the latest retail industry news and insights surrounding marketing, DTC, and e-commerce to keep leaders and decision-makers up to date.

We’ve covered it before: Consumers want the brands they shop to align with their values. But what should brands do when those values clash with those who disagree?

The answer is complicated: Almost three in five shoppers (58%) believe corporations should be neutral on political issues, while 52% say the same of social issues, according to the latest Ipsos Consumer Tracker.

  • And if you weren’t aware there’s a major divide on these issues, 48% say they are less likely to buy from a company that has opposing political views, and 52% say the same on social issues.

This year’s Pride month has been a bit of a debacle for corporations. While they’ve faced major pushack through protests targeting Bud Light and Target, some in the LGBTQ+ community have expressed that the month has become too corporate.

  • Just over 2 in 5 Americans said too many businesses claim to celebrate Pride, and 44% said the same for Juneteenth “without committing to real change,” per Ipsos.
  • But 53% believe corporations need to stand by their stances even in the face of backlash, as opposed to 15% who disagree.

Retail news that keeps industry pros in the know

Retail Brew delivers the latest retail industry news and insights surrounding marketing, DTC, and e-commerce to keep leaders and decision-makers up to date.