In my government (USA-like laws and political system), a group of people mad about a newly passed law are boycotting all purchases. This group is made up of a large portion of the population, so simply ignoring them may not be economically feasible. Also, retailers, etc. are complaining about the loss of business (5%-75%), tanking stocks, etc. and they would like the government to do something. What should the government do? Strategies to avoid:
Increased taxing or any form of taking away money from anyone (more than current taxes.) The people are very sensitive to tax.
Giving the protesters what they want. The protesters are also mad about other things, and they will take this as a sign of weakness, and likely repeat the boycotts.
Violence. The public is also very sensitive to this and this may trigger a rebellion.