U.S. retail giant Target’s decision to stock controversial Pride merchandise has come back to haunt them, resulting in a plunge in their revenue figures. The Telegraph has the story.
The Minneapolis-based company posted a 5% drop in sales to $24.8 billion (£19.5 billion) in the second quarter – its first decline in six years.
It comes after Target was hit by a backlash over its range of products to support the LGBT+ community, in particular its displays of merchandise to celebrate Pride month.
The retail chain faced criticism and homophobic abuse led by far-Right personalities over products including gender fluid mugs, Queer All Year calendars and children’s books entitled Bye, Bye Binary, Pride 1,2,3 and I’m Not a Girl.
Other ranges included a collaboration with British transgender designer Erik Carnell’s brand, Abprallen, which has been criticised for making clothes with images of pentagrams, horned skulls and other Satanic products.
Target eventually removed some products from its 2,000-strong Pride collection citing staff safety after an increase in confrontations between customers and employees and damage to displays.
The decision prompted further outcry from Target employees who celebrate Pride.
Target bosses have said they cannot pin down exactly how much of an impact the boycott had on sales, but that trading improved in July from June.
Brian Cornell, Chief Executive of Target, said the company had learned from the backlash and would be more cautious about its merchandise offering for “heritage” months, which celebrate various ethnic and marginalised groups.
He told reporters: “We’ll continue to celebrate Pride and other heritage moments, which are just one part of our commitment to support diverse teams and guests.
“However, as we navigate an ever changing operating and social environment, we’re applying what we’ve learned to ensure we’re staying close to our guests and their expectations of Target.”
Worth reading in full.
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It’s those ‘homophobic’ and ‘far right’ dog whistles being deployed again. Why not just merge the DT with the Guardian and be done with it?
The article fails to mention the tuck friendly swimsuits which may or may not have been for children. I believe they were the main cause of the boycott. Sometime later someone looked into Carnell’s product line and saw that he also did the satanic stuff as well as the other stuff that he sold to Target. As for the books I understand that Walmart also sells at least one of them but hasn’t seen a boycott.
The only ‘marginalised groups’ these days are the white heterosexual and gays. ‘Gay’ does not include all the squealing, limp wristed exhibitionists who infest the marches and our schools these days. Most are just like the ‘straights’ in that they just want to get on with their lives quietly without shoving their sexuality in everyones face. Normal people in other words.
I once occupied an office next to a lovely guy, a sales engineer who was just one of the guys, for several years and never thought twice about his personal circumstances other than to think his shirts were often crumpled and I made a private judgement against his wife for not looking after him properly (it was decades ago).
Imagine my surprise when I attended a family party and met him with his boyfriend; they were the relative’s next door neighbours!
Absolutely one of my best friends and ex colleagues is homosexual a lovely lovely guy. I didn’t even know he was gay until after about ten years of working with him!
Will they ever learn?
Doing any marketing targeting minority groups always run the risk of upsetting the majority. ‘Twas ever thus.
“criticism and homophobic abuse led by far-Right personalities” What was that, an expression of concern by a middle aged heterosexual man or perhaps a self confessed church goer?
Why do we need to celebrate these things. It would be so much better if we just accepted them and got on with life.
That these companies are willing to take financial hits to embark on these ideological crusades is very very suspicious.
It’s not because of staff that are misguided or gone rogue. There is something bigger at play. I don’t know what it is, but the signal is there. I wish I could figure it out.
That’s pretty much where I am. Maybe these bosses just believe this crap, think they are saving the world? Or maybe they are looking to please unseen masters, or the US Democrats. I’m not convinced by either, but can’t think of any other explanation.
This is all about ESG crap where the DD’s issue targets to the likes of erm … Target and Target have to hit the target, so to speak. If the likes of Target miss their imposed target then they are at risk of losing funding or seeing a big drop in share price. It helps to keep them in line.
I think the old-fashioned term is blackmail.
Indeed, but who exactly is doing the blackmail, and why?
Larry Fink and the rest of the mobsters at Vanguard, Blackrock, State Street etc
Yes, maybe. Still don’t get what’s in it for them, but I guess I’m not a megalomaniac nor do I have a messiah complex. Just want to be left alone to live my life. Those blokes have pretty good lives and would have done fine just managing money without turning into political activists.
Aside from ever greater control of large corporations through manipulating stock market prices relative to ESG scores, I’ve assumed that it’s the classic ‘divide and conquer’ combined with keeping the unwashed masses in a state of permanent confusion and despair, thus less likely to resist and retaliate. Create and emphasise difference to foment suspicion and ill-will where none previously existed – biology, ‘gender’ (whatever the hell that is these days), race, belief systems, etc – and aim to destroy anything that was previously considered ‘normal’. Manipulate and weaponise language to veritable Tower of Babel levels so no one knows what anyone else is saying or can say any more plus censor anything that might question The Narrative™. Gain control of food, food supplies and healthcare so that the deliberate perversion of one leads to an increasing dependence on the other. Blatantly override existing legislation with paper-thin ideologies and lies by throwing logic, facts, history and common sense out of the window – and above all, make sure you target the kids. If the occasional company takes a minor hit in the meantime (5% on a multibillion dollar turnover isn’t going to make much difference) then so be it, the plan itself will continue. Well, they can f*ck right off.
Yes, but Fink has already conquered – he’d be rich and powerful anyway. Maybe he just wants to be MORE rich and powerful. I can’t get my head around that, but I guess we’re all different.
Thanks. Brilliant post.
Oh, thanks! I was fuming at the time….
“we’re staying close to our guests and their expectations of Target.”
“Guests eh?”
Well, well,well. Does that term apply to genuine shoppers only or are shoplifters included? Got to keep the inclusitivity score up haven’t we?
Surely, guests aren’t expected to pay for a brew when they call round for a chat.
“Surely, guests aren’t expected to pay for a brew when they call round for a chat.” Not in our house they’re not. You’ve managed a downtick for that post. Someone sensitive about shoplifters? Bizarre.
I admit the post might be difficult for some to get their heads round but I was extrapolating on the notion of guests in a supermarket to hi-light how ridiculous this Orwellian nonsense really is.
Now that is bizarre.
Downtickers are a sad lot really.
“Guests” is kind of a creepy phrase for a supermarket, IMO. Customer or shopper do fine. I am always suspicious of ulterior motives when people start using new language where existing language is perfectly adequate. I don’t want to be a “guest” – that implies a level of intimacy. There are lots of people I would not invite to my home but I would be happy to serve them in a shop.
Quite so tof.
Isn’t that the point? If you’re a ‘guest’ rather than a customer the concept of service provision disappears and they can more easily deny access, especially if your social credit score is not up to scratch…
I suspect you’re right. As I said – change of language is not usually by chance.
The change, abuse and misuse of language is deliberate and that is why I refuse to use their words.
Misinformation / disinformation = Lies.
Fact-checking = censorship.
Mis-spoke = more lies.
And so on.
Transgender woman = man
Transgender man = woman
(Have I got that right? – I still get confused)
Gender critical = understands the truth that there are men and women, who started life as such from conception, and that’s it = normal people
Pandemic = bad flu season/didn’t happen
Yup.
This does no have a good history
Whatever happened to the concept of the ‘customer’, that elusive creature of any shape, size or persuasion, who had to be enticed without prejudice, sold to, respected and retained? When they wanted to be preached to, they went to church.
Costa coffee did something similar recently, I drank my last costa coffee a few weeks ago. Budweiser also made a serious woke mistake and sales have plummeted.
Same here. I emailed to tell them I had drunk my last Costa …… didn’t bother replying.
Sales only 5% down? That’s disappointing.
The anti-woke majority will have to do MUCH better next year.
Call me old fashioned, but do I really want to frequent an establishment that calls its customers “guests”? We are CUSTOMERS; we don’t visit to see a relative or friend, or go on holiday there! I’ve been in a target when in the US, but don’t hold any ‘expectations’.