As Pride month draws to a close, this year feels a bit like the annual celebration is going out with a whimper rather than a bang.
While in previous years retail has been inundated by rainbow logos and LGBTQ+ messaging from businesses, 2024 has been markedly quieter. This is despite the pink pound still being worth as much as £6 billion per year.
When Pride celebrations first took hold in the UK, retailers and brands were quick to tap into the lucrative market, launching rainbow-themed merchandise and taking the opportunity to showcase their LGBTQ+ credentials. Many also turned their logos rainbow-coloured for the month – although this was widely regarded to have lost its impact some years ago.
Couple a backlash over reductive and gimmicky Pride initiatives (we’re looking at you, M&S LGBT sandwich) with a rise in extreme right wing politics and the resulting homophobia and transphobia that was at the root of last year’s Bud Light drama, and it comes as no surprise that brands are increasingly afraid to put their head above the proverbial parapet.
LGBT people: “it’d be nice if people could stop abusing us when we hold hands in public, we could teach LGBT lessons in schools and if the BBC could stop debating our existence on live air that’d be grea-
Capitalism: “what we’re really sensing here is you want your own sandwich” pic.twitter.com/uIixEel2pq
— Louis Staples (@LouisStaples) May 3, 2019
Disappointingly, this year it is plain to see the result of that. Many brands are still supporting Pride but are doing so with a whisper rather than a shout.
BBH new business manager Nic Alford described the silence as “deafening”, comparing it to the streets of London in lockdown. Many in the community have been disappointed with this, highlighting that this is exactly why Pride is still needed.
As well as employing a million people and reaching almost every single person in the country, UK grocers also have the power to influence some of the world’s biggest brands. So how should they show their support for the LGBTQ+ community, and how have they chosen to celebrate this year’s Pride?
Authenticity and advocacy
“Authenticity means more than representation, though that’s crucial,” highlights Havas London senior creative and former Outvertising secretary Stephen Lynch.
“Grocers have the reach, footfall and presence that puts them in a prime position to helping support and advocate for LGBTQ+ voices, so it’s vital they use [their] infrastructure and retail environment to show support”, he says.
Lynch adds that advocacy involves “knowing when to be loud and when to be subtle”. During Pride month and, even more importantly, during crises that effect the community, it’s vital to show support, he continues.
“These are the moments where the community will notice if you’re really on their team or if you’re just pandering to the pink pound.”
As employers, grocers can also create an inclusive workplace by promoting diversity within leadership, ensuring all employees feel safe and having clear mechanisms for reporting discrimination.
“An authentic commitment to internal policies supporting LGBTQ+ rights is needed. This includes non-discrimination policies, inclusive healthcare, and support for employee resource groups at a bare minimum,” Lynch adds.
What the UK’s grocers are doing for Pride 2024
Tesco
Big 4 supermarket Tesco is sending 5% of the money made from its F&F Pride range to national LGBTQ+ charity Switchboard. It is also donating £100,000 to three other queer charities: NotAPhase, GiveOut, and JustLikeUs.
To support colleagues, Tesco is hosting an event about how to support trans+ family members and another about topics including the history of the Gay Games. The grocer is also a member of the Stonewall Global Diversity programme.
The retailer has also teamed up with brand experience agency N2O for the seventh year running to create a series of activations at Pride events across the UK, featuring a giant shopping trolley on top of a parade float full of Tesco colleagues.
The trolley will be at Birmingham Pride, Manchester Pride, Cardiff Pride and London Pride.
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Sainsbury’s
Sainsbury’s is centring this year’s Pride celebrations around the theme ‘Proud to Share’ and hosting a panel event as part of its internal community network Proud@Sainsbury’s, led by chief marketing officer and new operating board sponsor Mark Given.
The nation’s second-biggest supermarket is donating to trans+ charity Not A Phase and has donated over £50,000 to AKT and Sparkle through store and online sales of its Pride merchandise, clothing and beauty range over the last year.
Sainsbury’s is also encouraging colleagues to attend parades across the country, and has a range of Pride branded products available in selected stores.
Morrisons
Morrisons is donating all profits from its Pride t-shirts to LGBTQ+ youth charity AKT. It is also donating £10,000 worth of products to LGBTQ charities, groups and events in its local communities via in-store Community Champions.
Meanwhile, in order to support colleagues it has made pronoun badges available for all who wish to wear on and published a knowledge guide for all managers to help them better understand and support colleagues.
Morrisons also held a listening session, which resulted in colleagues overwhelmingly highlighting that what they were looking for from the retailer was authenticity. It will support colleagues attending Pride events across the country, including smaller events such as Kings Lynn and Maidstone.
Aldi
Discounter Aldi is launching a series of gender transition guides to support colleagues who have already transitioned as well as their direct leaders and co-workers.
It has also rolled out gender-neutral toilets across all of its regional offices and regional distribution centres. In addition, it will be supporting and attending several Pride parade events across the country this year, including Cardiff, Glasgow and Birmingham.
Co-op
Internally, Co-op’s internal network Respect is hosting two panels in which queer colleagues from around the business share their stories. The network will also take over Co-op radio in stores across the business.
The retailer has also set up an e-learning module which will be available to colleagues after Pride month with the aim of helping colleagues understand how they can support their trans and non-binary colleagues all year round.
Respect is attending London Pride, with the retail group also supporting a total of 40 Pride campaigns over the summer.
Waitrose
High-end supermarket Waitrose is launching a Pale Ale Kaleidoscope from Wiper and True with profits going to Stonewall’s Rainbow Laces, which works to improve inclusion in sport. A second beer from Brooklyn Beer is called The Stonewall Inn IPA.
Both Brooklyn Brewery and the Carlsberg Group contribute to The Stonewall Inn Gives Back Initiative, which supports grassroots LGBTQ+ organisations throughout the year.
Waitrose is also running a feature in its weekend magazine celebrating 50 years of the LGBTQ+ charity Switchboard and is attending marches in Cardiff, Edinburgh and Manchester.
Lidl
Lidl took part in the Birmingham Pride Parade on Saturday 25 May and Sunday 26 May with a branded bus. It will also be attending London Pride with the bus for the first time.
M&S
M&S is supporting LGBT+ youth homeless charity AKT by doubling all donations made through the Sparks card to the charity. In addition it supports colleagues to get involved in their local Prides, with over 300 colleagues attending local marches.
The retailer is also sharing Pride stories across social media.
Asda
Asda launched a competition to design its George at Asda Pride t-shirt, with 20% of profits donated to Diversity Role Models – a charity which works in schools to help end LGBTQ+ bullying.
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