Cancel Culture Strikes Again: Gen Z Wants J.C. Penny's Head for Black Plague Sale
J.C. Penny's recent 'Black Death' sale has sparked outrage amongst Generation Z consumers, who have taken to social media to voice their concerns about the insensitive promotion. Many young shoppers are calling for a boycott of the retail giant, using hashtags such as #CancelJCPenny and #PennyDreadful to spread their message.
'It's ridiculous that a multi-billion dollar company would stoop so low as to exploit a tragic historical event for profit,' said 19-year-old college student, Samantha Jones. 'They should be ashamed of themselves.' Other young consumers echoed Jones' sentiments, with some even calling for a petition to be started to demand an apology from the company.
Despite the backlash, J.C. Penny's CEO, James Cash, has defended the sale, stating that it was meant to be a lighthearted way of providing customers with some relief during the pandemic. 'We understand that times are tough, and we wanted to offer our customers a little bit of humor in the midst of all the doom and gloom,' Cash said in a statement.
As the controversy continues to swirl around the retailer, only time will tell if J.C. Penny's will be able to weather the storm and win back the trust of its younger consumers.