r/Anticonsumption • u/Healthy_Block3036 • 13d ago

Corporations Target foot traffic falls for seventh consecutive week after it dismantled DEI

https://www.retailbrew.com/stories/2025/03/21/target-foot-traffic-falls-for-seventh-consecutive-week-after-it-dismantled-dei
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187

u/LebrahnJahmes 13d ago

I went into one to take an emergency shit and that was it

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u/Brodellsky 13d ago

Europeans can say a lot about us, and be right, but they can't clown us for this.

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u/UnsharpenedSwan 13d ago

but Europeans don’t have to take emergency shits in target

they have actual nice, clean, government-maintained public restrooms (albeit sometimes with a small fee) 😭

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u/Techun2 13d ago

Yeah right. The worst part about being in Europe (so not that bad) is the lack of bathrooms. Where do they go!?

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u/pimpletwist 13d ago

No, the worst part about Europe is the smoking

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u/Serious_Hold_2009 13d ago

Nah that's the good part. Wish it wasn't considered such taboo here in the states

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u/pimpletwist 12d ago

I’m so grateful it is, as a normal person who doesn’t intentionally take on habits that cause cancer, cost a lot of money, hurt the people around you, and have no benefit whatsoever.

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u/Serious_Hold_2009 12d ago

Get off your high horse 

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u/Postmanpat854 12d ago

Get off your high

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u/aTransGirlAndTwoDogs 12d ago

Read as: "Stop making better choices than me."

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u/Serious_Hold_2009 12d ago

Read as: "I'm a smug asshole who thinks I'm better than everyone else" 

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u/DaggumTarHeels 13d ago

There's lot's of shitty things about Europe lol. No region is immune from issues. I travel to the UK/Spain/Germany frequently for work, so I'll stick with the areas I know.

Europe is not a monolith btw. Croatia and Finland are incredibly different.

  • Housing is unaffordable even in rural areas, yes more so than the US. And where it's "affordable"; it's not available. Like the 3 year wait a buddy in Austria had before a rent-controlled apt came up. Even then, you're stuck in it. Western Europe and large American cities don't want to actually do things that increase housing supply.

  • In many western European countries, the healthcare systems are overloaded. (I'm relaying what the locals tell me here)

  • The tax systems across all of the EU are less progressive than the US. Yes, that's correct. Look at the median US income tax burden: 12%. Look at the bottom 50%: they pay a 3% rate. The basic rate in the UK for instance is 20%.

  • Salaries are low.

  • Even if the things above are not obstacles to you, the regulatory environment can be punitive. (Looking at you UK Councils)

Reddit has this compulsion that if a gov in charge is bad, you have to push a narrative even if it means lying.

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u/Harlow31 12d ago

Ok. Let’s address these one by one.

Housing only unaffordable if you want to buy. Here in the UK house ownership is deemed an investment. So there is artificial inflation that only gets reset when there is a major financial downturn (last one was 2008). Since then property prices have increased and the government doesn’t build enough to change the upward trend. In most other European countries there is a far larger long term rental market. In some countries the rental or lease can even be bequeathed so extending the rental period beyond the initial renters lifespan. Renting in the UK is short term so not immune to market inflation.

Most European countries operate a publicly funded (or partially so) healthcare system. So yes busy but also entirely valued by a population that gets the best service for little or no direct cost. Health outcomes in the EU consistently out perform those in the US which is traditionally considered to have a shockingly poor system for such a wealthy country. I suggest this as a read for the most recent data. And I spent most of my working careers in the NHS so whilst this doesn’t paint a great picture (due to under investment in recent years) it’s still better than the US.

https://www.kingsfund.org.uk/insight-and-analysis/blogs/comparing-nhs-to-health-care-systems-other-countries.html

Tax position depends upon your view about state taxation. But it’s interesting the Scandinavian countries have some of the highest rates of personal taxation in Europe but also are all in the top 10 happiest people in the world based on OECD research. Originally the Danes were the happiest but have recently been overtaken by the Finns. Sweden have some of the highest rates average is 40% of GDP or so but this is used to fund extensive social programmes including the healthcare system. Again a useful read.

https://taxfoundation.org/blog/scandinavian-social-programs-taxes-2023/

The thing you’ve said that’s most true is that Europe isn’t homogenous. Different cultures, languages, and histories. We’ve had over 3000 years to develop those with migration, invasion and relationships.

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u/DaggumTarHeels 12d ago

Housing only unaffordable if you want to buy.

The median UK income after taxes is £27,573 and median rent is £1,284, that's nearly half your net income on just rent.

gets the best service

Glasgow NHS told my colleague she'd have to wait 2 years to get her slipped disc treated. She said this was the norm.

Personally I'd like to see the US implement medicare for all, but there are very real issues to be addressed.

traditionally considered to have a shockingly poor system for such a wealthy country

Yes this is accurate. And in large part because the US has an underclass who receives virtually no healthcare. For those who have access to quality private insurance, the outcomes improve as you might expect.

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4866586/

The US has some of the best hospitals and medical staff in the world, it's a matter of who gets to utilize them.

And yes, this distinction only matters at an individual level.

But it’s interesting the Scandinavian countries have some of the highest rates of personal taxation in Europe but also are all in the top 10 happiest people in the world based on OECD research. Originally the Danes were the happiest but have recently been overtaken by the Finns.

Right, it depends on what you value/want in life. But the US objectively has a more progressive tax system, as surprising as that is haha

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u/Techun2 13d ago

Hey man I just want to pee

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u/DaggumTarHeels 13d ago

That'll be 1€ plz

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u/moon_soil 13d ago

Museums!!!

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u/LookinForLoot 13d ago

They’re just generally healthier and have more regularity in their bowel movements instead of suddenly needing to Taco Bell diarrhea outside a target

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u/Techun2 13d ago

Well...I pee?

Edit well maybe normal life has different patterns, but on vacation I don't want to stay at my hotel. So leave early and be out and about all day. So that brings the need to use the bathroom in public a few times.

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u/Acceptable-Let-1921 13d ago

In Europe, since health care is free, just don't drink so we don't have to pee, then we go to the hospital and get some free IV fluid and electrolytes a couple of times a week.

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u/Paperairplanes420 13d ago

Brawndo via IV. It’s got what plants and Europeans crave.

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u/cornflower4 12d ago

lol…let’s see that research 🤣

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u/mrspalmieri 13d ago

they have actual nice, clean, government-maintained public restrooms

Went to Italy in summer of 2023 and I'm going to have to strongly disagree with you. Those bathrooms were gross, often had no toilet seats and no toilet paper. No soap at the sinks. What's worse is that I had to pay to use the facilities. Otherwise, Italy was amazing.. just didn't have the best luck with the bathrooms

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u/marcus_centurian 10d ago

I recall the restrooms in Paris were less nice, despite costing about the same with soap and things missing from some sinks. The Dutch and Belgian restrooms were all great in maintenance although I recall the one at Antwerp Centraal Station was confusing to get into. I visited fall of 2024.

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u/damnitimtoast 10d ago

I went in one when I was in Paris and there was shit smeared all over the walls.

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u/Rothovius 13d ago

God I wish this was true. In reality the quality varies a lot but most of it isn't that good. Availability is also bad.

On the bright side, peeing in a bush is more socially acceptable. I don't actually know this, but I was once honked in Texas for having stopped roadside and was obviously peeing. In Finland this has never happened to me.

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u/trook95 13d ago

Man idk I've had to pay to get in to some seriously nasty restrooms in the UK and in France specifically

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u/ProfessionalBook41 13d ago

Which European country has government maintained public restrooms?

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u/SelfServeSporstwash 12d ago

To my knowledge none, at least nation wide. Some municipalities, cities, or maybe even entire provinces/regions may have it. Obviously quality/cleanliness varies greatly.

My (limited) experience is extremely hit and miss, and I definitely have a significantly easier time finding a restroom in the US.

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u/crazycatlady331 5d ago

Outside of major cities, it's one of the few things fast food is good for.

Say what you want to about McDonald's, Burger King, etc. But if I see that there's one right off a highway and I need to pee when I'm driving, I will stop there.

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u/beepborpimajorp 12d ago

People really will post the most made up crap on this site and as long as it's "Europe good, America bad" people will upvote it.

And even when you're trying to make the place look better, charging for a bathroom is the stupidest and most ableist thing on the planet.

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u/Buttoshi 13d ago

How much for ice and to sit inside the place I bought the food

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u/vildingen 13d ago

Cries in Swedish

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u/BeardedBaldMan 13d ago

That people have moved their shopping from one store to another? I don't think that there's been a shift in general US overconsumption.

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u/rest0re 13d ago

The joke is “we might not have much, but what we do have is an abundance of free public bathrooms”

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u/Ionlycryforonions 13d ago

Good man. Doing your civic doody!

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u/shaysauce 13d ago

They got them all point atms too. Which is the free one my bank uses.

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u/Youcum2fast69 13d ago

Hahahaaaaa hell yeah

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u/meaty-urologist 11d ago

You are the hero we need right now.

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u/SourLoafBaltimore 13d ago

I hope you left an upper decker! 🤣😂🤣

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u/crazycatlady331 5d ago

This only punishes the minimum wage employee who cleans the bathrooms.