Target Corp. will remove gender labels from most of its children’s departments, following customer complaints about signs designating certain toys for girls.
On its website this past Friday, Target said that its toy department will be without labels and pink or blue paper on the shelves. It was reported by Bloomberg Business that the signage sparking the dispute was for building sets, such as GoldieBlox, that are targeted at girls.
“As guests have pointed out, in some departments like toys, home, or entertainment, suggesting products by gender is unnecessary,” said Target in a statement. “We heard you, and we agree. Right now, our teams are working across the store to identify areas where we can phase out gender-based signage to help strike a better balance.”
Changes will reportedly start to be seen in stores over the next few months. Around the toy industry, there has already been positive reaction to the announcement.
“Our sales team is literally on a plane to Minneapolis to meet Target as we speak,” says Chris Soderling, director of sales for GoldieBlox, to The Toy Book. “We are thrilled with this progressive move.”
In a separate statement, GoldieBlox also stated: “The fact that customers were giving this feedback shows that people want more for their children, more for their daughters. GoldieBlox’s mission has always been to empower girls to understand their limitless potential, and Target’s decision to remove gender-based signs definitely supports that cause.”
Updated August 10 at 1:25 p.m.
You might also like:
