Target foot traffic is still suffering 6 months post-boycott. An industry veteran says the retailer's problems are bigger than curtailing DEI

Foot traffic at Target fell year over year for the sixth consecutive month in July, and while the slump began the week after the retailer backtracked on its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts, some analysts say the real culprit is that Target is slipping on retail basics.

In July, foot traffic at Target fell 3.8%, according to Placer.ai. Since announcing it was curtailing DEI on January 24, foot traffic has been down YoY for 25 of the last 27 weeks.

While media outlets (including this one ) have linked Target’s traffic losses to it eliminating some DEI initiatives (and the ensuing backlash and a boycott led by Black clergy), Walter Holbrook, an industry veteran whose resume includes 28 years as an executive at Kmart, believes that a bigger issue i