Target unveiled its plans for Pride Month 2024, saying it would limit where it promotes the product lineup after customers in some stores last year objected to the initiative, sometimes by damaging store displays and confronting employees.
This year, Target stated, it is rolling out a Pride product collection in select stores, “based on historical sales performance,” as well as on target.com. The 2024 Pride product assortment will roll out on May 28, according to the Target website.
In announcing its Pride Month plans, Target said it understands its business thrives when the company creates experiences that foster a sense of belonging. To celebrate the occasion, Target’s Pride+ Business Council will host internal events and experiences where interested team members can learn, reflect, celebrate and connect.
For Pride month in June, Target is offering a collection of products, including home goods, adult apparel and food and beverage items, curated based on consumer feedback, the company stated.
Target reported it continues its year-round support of LGBTQIA+ organizations, including the Human Rights Campaign and Family Equality, adding the retailer also spotlights LGBTQ-owned brands in its assortment all year.
Last year, after experiencing in-store disruption and threats against employees, the company responded by making Pride assortments less conspicuous in stores where it was concerned about consumer response. In confronting the situation, Target at the time issued the following statement:
For more than a decade, Target has offered an assortment of products aimed at celebrating Pride Month. Since introducing this year’s collection, we’ve experienced threats impacting our team members’ sense of safety and well-being while at work. Given these volatile circumstances, we are making adjustments to our plans, including removing items that have been at the center of the most significant confrontational behavior. Our focus now is on moving forward with our continuing commitment to the LGBTQIA+ community and standing with them as we celebrate Pride Month and throughout the year.
An email to Target from HomePage News asking which stores are carrying and not carrying the Pride collection was not returned by press time.
