Walmart is the latest major corporation to scale back its DEI initiatives, and beauty mogul Jesseca “Judy” Harris-Dupart is voicing concerns about how this shift jeopardizes brands like hers.
The Kaleidoscope Hair Products CEO recently addressed the issue on Instagram Live and explained how Walmart has been phasing out multicultural beauty sections. Her products, once prominently displayed in these sections, are now placed alongside mainstream brands like Pantene, a move she says puts Black-owned brands like hers “at risk.”
“There’s a shift in the movement of hair, of beauty.
So they’ve merged us,” Harris-Dupart explained in a clip captured by Livebitez. “There isn’t a multicultural aisle anymore.”
“There’s a beauty aisle, so they have us with the general market,” she continued. “So normally I would be next to Camille Rose or like a brand like that, but right now they’ve moved the Black brands next to the Pantene’s and next to the Suaves and next to all of that.”
bel="Threads" height="32px" role="img" viewBox="0 0 192 192" width="32px" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg">View on Threads
Harris-Dupart went on to highlight the disadvantage the move could have on Black-owned brands, which might be overlooked over beauty products from general-market brands.
“So while that’s a great opportunity to be next to big brands, it also is a higher risk when it comes to marketing dollars, share of the shelf,” she shared. “And the fact that they’re not speaking about taking away the diversity aspect; it just puts a lot of, it puts a lot of brands at risk.”
Her remarks come just a week after Walmart scaled back its diversity, equity, and inclusion policies, joining a growing number of major corporations retreating from such
initiatives following pressure from conservative activists. The world’s largest retailer is scaling back on several initiatives, including ending its five-year commitment to a racial equity center established in 2020 after George Floyd’s killing, withdrawing from a prominent LGBTQ+ rights index, and discontinuing priority treatment for certain suppliers.“We’ve been on a journey and know we aren’t perfect, but every decision comes from a place of wanting to foster a sense of belonging, to open doors to opportunities for all our associates, customers, and suppliers, and to be a Walmart for everyone,” the company said in a statement.
Major corporations like Ford, Lowe’s, Tractor Supply, and Harley-Davidson have already scaled back DEI efforts, while Walmart, which employs 1.6 million workers in the U.S., became the largest company to do so.
RELATED CONTENT: Walmart To Hold Open Call Initiative