Target
Flagged · AvoidAbandoned its racial equity commitments under political pressure while shortchanging warehouse workers and missing its own plastic reduction goals.
Last updated October 5, 2026
Reasons to avoid
Issues span:ConsumerLaborHuman RightsEnvironment
Sold costume critics likened to blackface
Target sold a children's Halloween costume through its Hyde and EEK Boutique brand that critics said closely resembled racist blackface and minstrel show imagery. The company pulled the costume from sale and issued a public apology, acknowledging it was offensive and should not have been part of its assortment.Skipped pay for mandatory security screenings
Target settled a $4.6 million class action lawsuit on behalf of 13,700 distribution center workers in New Jersey who were not paid for mandatory security screenings and long walks to their work stations before and after each shift. Workers were required to clock in only after reaching their assigned posts, leaving minutes of compulsory on-site time uncompensated every day.Accused of understaffing to dodge overtime
A federal lawsuit filed in 2025 accused Target of deliberately understaffing stores so that salaried Executive Team Leaders would have to perform hourly work like stocking shelves and unloading trucks, while remaining classified as managers exempt from overtime pay. The suit alleges this was an intentional cost-cutting measure in violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act.Scrapped $2 billion racial equity pledge
Five days after Trump's inauguration in January 2025, Target ended its $2 billion Racial Equity Action and Change initiative and pulled out of the Human Rights Campaign's Corporate Equality Index. The reversal came despite years of public commitments made following George Floyd's murder and triggered a nationwide boycott that drove store traffic down for eleven consecutive weeks.Blamed theft for closing nine stores
In September 2023, Target closed nine stores in four states, publicly blaming theft and organized retail crime. A monthslong CNBC investigation found that the closed stores generally had fewer reported crimes than nearby Target locations that stayed open, raising questions about whether the announcement was designed to lobby for retail crime legislation or mask poor financial performance.Used more virgin plastic despite pledge
Target pledged to reduce virgin plastic use in its own-brand packaging by 20% by 2025. By fiscal year 2023, it was using 22% more virgin plastic than its 2020 baseline, reaching 47,000 metric tons. Only 32% of its own-brand plastic packaging was recyclable, compostable, or reusable against a stated goal of 100% by the same deadline.
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Common questions
- Is Target ethical?
- Target settled a $4.6 million class action on behalf of 13,700 distribution center workers who were not paid for mandatory security screenings and long walks to work stations before each shift. Five days after Trump's inauguration in January 2025, Target ended its $2 billion Racial Equity Action and Change initiative, triggering a nationwide boycott that drove store traffic down for eleven consecutive weeks.
- Why are people boycotting Target?
- The DEI rollback, wage theft, and broken environmental pledges are the main reasons. A 2025 federal lawsuit accused Target of deliberately understaffing stores so that salaried managers would have to perform hourly work while remaining classified as exempt from overtime. By fiscal year 2023, Target was using 22% more virgin plastic than its 2020 baseline, missing a goal of 100% recyclable packaging by a wide margin.
- What are the best ethical alternatives to Target?
- Public Goods is a one-stop shop for sustainable household essentials with carbon-neutral shipping. Thrive Market is a membership-based organic grocery marketplace. Local independent shops keep money in your community and avoid the supply chain controversies tied to large national retailers.
Know of a documented reason we're missing?