Grocery store chain prompts customers to donate to ‘DEI awareness’
Fox News
A Washington state grocery store chain is prompting its customers to donate to raise “awareness” for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).
Fox News Digital obtained photographs of a self-checkout lane at Haggen, a grocery store chain owned by produce giant Albertson’s, that prompted customers to donate money to raise “DEI awareness.”
“Would you like to donate to help advocate for DEI awareness?” a screen displays, prompting donations of $1, $3, $5, and “other” amounts while also allowing shoppers to opt-out.
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Behind the self-checkout kiosk is a sign advertising Haggen’s own charity, the Haggen Foundation, telling customers that from June 14 to Aug. 8, they can donate at “any register” to “support organizations that make positive social changes to ensure all community members live a healthy and fully inclusive life.”
According to the Haggen Foundation website, the DEI donations campaign benefits several charities, including the American Cancer Society, as well as organizations supporting people with mental disabilities, like Chinook Enterprises and Faces Northwest.
However, the website also notes that the DEI donations campaign benefits charities supporting woke policies, including the Northwest Justice Project, which seeks to challenge “structural and racial inequities to promote the long-term well-being of low-income individuals, families and communities across Washington State.”
“As a dynamic statewide law firm, we pursue our mission through legal advice and representation, community partnerships, and education to empower clients and combat injustice in all its forms,” the Northwest Justice Project (NJP) website page on its “Race Equity & Justice Initiative (REJI).”
“NJP endorses and has signed onto the principles and commitments of the Race Equity and Justice Initiative (REJI),” the site read. “More information about the initiative and useful resources and tools to facilitate individual and organizational race equity work are available at the REJI website.”
Last year, the same Haggen Foundation initiative also supported DEI organizations, including the Northwest Immigrants Rights Project, which calls “to undo systemic oppression” on its website.
“We are connected by our common humanity, by global forces that affect our lives, and by historic patterns of oppression, discrimination and inequity,” their “mission” website page section under “Solidarity” read. “For society to be just and whole, we must work together to undo systemic oppression in its many forms.”
Additionally, in 2022 Haggen’s charity also supported the nonprofit Empower Next Generations, which lists its three primary values as “social equity, cultural diversity, [and] inclusion.”
“It is our social responsibility toward each other to offer equitable access to resources, information, technology, financial and social capital in a fair, safe, and secure manner,” the organization’s “Values” website page’s “equity” section read.
Fox News Digital reached out to Albertson’s, asking if the company believes its brands should be promoting controversial political ideologies like DEI and if they are concerned that its solicitation of donations for DEI awareness will drive customers away.
An Albertson’s spokesperson told Fox News Digital on Monday, “The fundraising campaign currently being conducted at Haggen in Washington will benefit non-profit organizations such as Down Syndrome Center of Puget Sound, Special Olympics Washington, Disability Rights Washington, National Multiple Sclerosis Society and American Cancer Society.”
In addition to Haggen in the Northwest, Albertson’s owns several prominent grocery store brands across America including Tom Thumb, Safeway and Market Street.
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Several prominent American brands have received backlash for embracing controversial woke political ideologies in business.
Beer brand Bud Light is infamously fighting a boycott battle against angry conservatives after the brand partnered up with Dylan Mulvaney, a transgender activist and influncer.
Additionally, Target saw a boycott and political pressure put on the company over children’s transgender swimsuits were prominently displayed for Pride month.
Anheuser-Busch unveiled a brand-new Bud Light ad following the massive backlash it received after partnering with trans activist Dylan Mulvaney, but it appears consumers are not yet ready to give the beer another chance.
The new summer-themed ad received a torrent of negative comments on Twitter mere hours after it was posted, ridiculing for what many users saw as a pandering TV spot.
Bud Light’s new ad comes nearly three months after the beer company made Mulvaney one of its spokespeople. The decision rankled consumers, prompting a dramatic decrease in sales that resulted in beer maker Anheuser-Busch losing billions of dollars in market value.
Fox News Digital’s Gabriel Hays contributed reporting.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/grocery-store-prompts-customers-donate-dei-awareness