Target experiences sales drop after controversy over Pride month merchandise.

US retail giant Target faced a drop in both physical store and online sales, marking the first decline in several years, following a controversy surrounding its offerings during Pride Month. Sales declined by 5% during the April-June period in comparison to the same interval the previous year, marking the first decrease in six years. This sales reduction stemmed from the backlash against some of the LGBTQ Pride merchandise that Target had put forth, prompting the company to remove specific items from its stores due to concerns about staff safety. Target’s CEO, Brian Cornell, acknowledged that the sales decline also reflected the financial strain on shoppers due to the high cost of living.

These challenges were compounded by additional factors, including calls for a boycott of Target’s Pride Month products. The company faced damage to in-store displays and merchandise, which encompassed items like t-shirts adorned with rainbows, “gender fluid” mugs, and children’s books with LGBTQ themes. A portion of the 2,000-piece collection, including items from a collaboration with transgender designer Erik Carnell’s Abprallen label, was removed following criticism over other items that featured potentially controversial imagery.

Target’s decision to withdraw select items from its collection, citing employee safety concerns, further fueled discontent among customers who supported Pride.

Target joins a growing list of US companies grappling with LGBTQ-related issues that have become contentious in the political arena. This trend, characterised by customer boycotts and backlash, has similarly impacted brands like Disney and Bud Light.

Despite the sales decline, Target’s shares witnessed an over 6% increase in early trading, reflecting profits that exceeded investors’ expectations. This uptick follows a somewhat bleak perspective on the health of the American consumer provided by Target’s report. The report suggests that consumers are scaling back on non-essential purchases due to rising prices, focusing more of their monthly budgets on essential items such as groceries. However, this softer sales data contrasts with other recent indicators that have indicated robust consumer spending. For instance, the Commerce Department reported a 0.7% growth in retail sales from June to July, partly driven by heightened online sales during Amazon’s annual Prime Day event.