Hudson’s Bay faces Canadian protest over selling Ivanka Trump merchandise

A group calling themselves the “Peeved Beavers” is gearing up to protest Hudson’s Bay department store’s continued offering of Ivanka Trump’s brand, an escalation of what’s coming to be known online as #Baycott.

The group, an offshoot of the U.S. #GrabYourWallet boycott of retailers selling Ivanka and Donald Trump branded merchandise, is planning to protest at least two Hudson’s Bay locations in the Toronto area over the weekend, according to social media posts.

The aim of the protests is to get the Canadian department store, which is owned by Hudson’s Bay Co., also the operator of Saks Fifth Avenue, to drop the Ivanka Trump line altogether. At least some protesters plan to dress up like President Trump or members of his administration.

“Across our banners, we aim to a deliver a strong assortment of fashion,” an HBC spokeswoman said. “We respect our customers’ right to choose the brands that work for them. In turn, our customers’ choices inform our decisions on which merchandise we offer.”

The Peeved Beavers’ moniker was inspired by the four beavers shown on the Hudson’s Bay Co. crest.

While it’s not clear exactly how many protesters plan to publicly show their displeasure over the weekend, the idea of a Hudson’s Bay boycott seems to be gaining traction online.

Many shoppers have taken to Twitter over the last several weeks in support of the boycott, expressing their love for the department store chain, commonly referred to as “the Bay,” but noting their ire for Trump and his controversial statements is stronger.

“I’ll be honest. Boycotting @hudsonsbay has been really hard. But you know what I love more than the Bay? Standing for something. #baycott,” one shopper tweeted on Tuesday.

Since Nordstrom’s decision earlier this month to drop the line altogether, citing underperforming sales, retailers have found themselves dealing with unexpected scrutiny over their brand choices.

Trump first took to Twitter to defend his daughter’s line from a decision by Nordstrom to drop the brand, saying Ivanka was being treated “unfairly” despite the retailer citing poor sales for the decision. A public endorsement by Kellyanne Conway, Trump’s “counselor,” who told viewers of “Fox & Friends” to “go buy Ivanka’s stuff” followed.

Although other stores have yet to formally pull the merchandise, Ivanka’s line is nevertheless being heavily discounted, with 44 percent of all Ivanka Trump products being sold at prices that are on average 49 percent off, according to data from Edited.