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business Saturday 18 June 2022
T-shirts? Ice cream? Retailers cash in on Juneteenth

By ANNE D'INNOCENZIO tunately good intentions
AP Retail Writer can go awry, and this is
NEW YORK (AP) — Retail- what we have seen," said
ers and marketers have Daija, who found Walmart's
been quick to commemo- Juneteenth ice cream par-
rate Juneteenth with an ticularly egregious because
avalanche of merchandise it used the holiday moniker
from ice cream to T-shirts to to brand a new ice cream
party cups. flavor.
But many are getting back- Companies have a long his-
lash on social media for tory of commercializing hol-
what critics say undermines idays and other moments
the day, designated as a in order to cash in. Take
federal holiday last year to Cinco de Mayo, which has
honor the emancipation become in the U.S a cel-
of enslaved African Ameri- ebration of all things Mexi-
cans. A search for June- can, with companies selling
teenth items among online everything from beans to
sellers like Amazon and J.C. beer to sombrero hats. The
Penney produced every- holiday has spread from
thing from toothpicks with the American Southwest,
pan-African flags to party even though most have no
plates and balloons. idea about its original ties
Walmart, the nation's larg- A man holds an African-American flag during a demonstration in Chicago on June 19, 2020, to to the U.S. Civil War, aboli-
est retailer, apologized mark Juneteenth, the holiday celebrating the day in 1865 that enslaved black people in Galves- tion and promotion of civil
last month after getting ton, Texas, learned they had been freed from bondage, more than two years after the Emancipa- rights for Blacks. In fact, it's
tion Proclamation.
slammed for a Juneteenth Associated Press often mistaken for Mexican
ice cream flavor — swirled Independence day.
red velvet and cheese- companies promised after Lincoln's 1863 Emancipa- the anniversary of their Meanwhile, every October,
cake — under its store label the police killing of George tion Proclamation. emancipation. retailers are awash in pink
Great Value. Walmart said Floyd in May of 2020 to Many experts believe that if "However, I feel like it is also merchandise to celebrate
it's reviewing its product as- no longer stay silent and retailers and other market- brought back everybody Breast Cancer Aware-
sortment and will remove vowed to take an active ers plan to recognize the else out of the woodwork ness month, but critics
items "as appropriate." As role in confronting and day, they should either sell who are opportunists more say many make mislead-
of Friday, Walmart's site was educating customers and merchandise from Black- so than folks who are look- ing claims about support-
still offering lots of T-shirts employees on systemic owned businesses or invest ing at the history of this ing cancer groups. And
and party plates. racism. According to the in campaigns that would country and looking at Memorial Day, a federal
Meanwhile, the India- preliminary results of a sur- help Black communities. where a group of people holiday day designated to
napolis Children's Museum vey by Mercer of 200 em- Amazon. for instance, does have come from," he add- mourn the U.S. military who
removed a Juneteenth ployers, 33% are offering Ju- have a Black-owned busi- ed. have died while serving in
watermelon salad from its neteenth as a paid holiday ness storefront that's live all Manning, who is also the U.S. armed forces, has
menu and issued a mea to their staff. That's up from year-round for customers founder and chairman of morphed into all-day mat-
culpa earlier this week. In 9% last year in a survey of who want to support and Ridgegate Capital, a pri- tress sales at stores.
a statement posted on its more than 400 companies shop Black-owned busi- vate investment fund, fur- But what makes the move
Facebook page, the muse- conducted shortly before nesses selling on the site. ther wondered: "Who is this by companies to cash in on
um blamed a lapse in ven- Juneteenth was declared "This is a serious and reflec- going to benefit?" Juneteenth worse is that it
dor oversight, noting the a federal holiday. tive moment — I am ex- Sheryl Daija, founder and comes as the U.S. remains
label and salad were not At the same time, many cited and grateful for the CEO of Bridge, a group of fraught with racial tensions,
reviewed by museum staff. have cashed in on a holi- recognition," said Ramon marketing and diversity, said Darnise Martin, clinical
"We are an imperfect insti- day that Black Americans Manning, chairman of the equity and inclusion ex- associate professor of Af-
tution, but we are commit- have observed since June board at Emancipation ecutives, noted there's a rican American studies at
ted to improvement and 19, 1865, when Union Major Park Conservancy, a non- disconnect between the Loyola Marymount Univer-
will work tirelessly to regain General Gordon Granger profit organization aimed seriousness of the holiday sity in Los Angeles.
your trust," the museum proclaimed freedom for to restore the park, which and the merchandise on "It is weird to merchandise
wrote on its Facebook enslaved people in Galves- was purchased in 1872 by display. around it, but that's what
page. ton, Texas, in alignment a group of former enslaved "A lot of companies have America does," Martin
The backlash comes as with President Abraham people to commemorate good intentions, but unfor- said.q

FAA says future planes will need to reduce carbon emissions

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden and planes built after Jan. 1, 2028. that are already flying. measures — aerodynamics, engine
administration proposed Wednes- FAA said the rule, if made final, Planes are a small but growing technology, and lighter weight —
day that future planes produce would cover new large airliners contributor to greenhouse gas to improve efficiency.
lower levels of greenhouse gas from both Boeing and Airbus, plus emissions that are tied to climate Environmentalists have spent years
emissions before they can be certi- various business jets and other change. The FAA said civilian pushing the government to regu-
fied by federal regulators. planes. The FAA said the rule would planes caused 3% of U.S. emissions late limits on heat-trapping emis-
The Federal Aviation Administration bring the United States in line with before the pandemic. sions from planes.In 2015, the En-
proposal would increase fuel-effi- carbon dioxide emission standards Boeing and Airbus said they sup- vironmental Protection Agency
ciency standards for jets and large set by the United Nation's aviation port efforts to reduce carbon emis- determined that aircraft emissions
turboprop and propeller-driven organization. sions. Boeing praised the FAA's ap- posed a health threat, a step that
planes that it has not yet certified The rule would not cover planes proach of considering a variety of required EPA to draft rules. q