Target announced that it plans to reduce the amount of LGBTQ+-themed merchandise in some of its stores for Pride Month this June.
Bloomberg first reported on the development Thursday (May 9), with the company citing last year's backlash over its collection as a reason for the move.
A representative for Target said that the retailer intended to offer the entire collection on its online store but would examine store-level data to decide which physical locations to position the products in, according to Reuters.
Read also: Target Implements New Self-Checkout Policy Nationwide: Limits It to 10 Items Per Transaction
Target's Pushback as a Result of 2023 Pride Campaign Fiasco
It could be recalled that Target was forced to pull out some of its items from transgender designer Erik Carnell's Abprallen collection due to increased customer-employee confrontations and incidents of Pride merchandise being thrown at the floor.
Target CEO Brian Cornell's reaction to the campaign results of last year was deeply personal, as he shared with employees that the whole experience was "gut-wrenching" for the company, a sentiment that underscores the company's commitment to learning from past experiences.
The spokesperson also told Bloomberg that the company would have internal programs and a presence at local Pride events across the United States in observance.
Join the Conversation