In a concerted effort to fight back against retail theft, Target has rolled out several interesting—and controversial—changes this year, including the decision to lock up certain products behind glass cases. Target revealed in a May 17 press release that the big-box retailer was predicted to lose upwards of $500 million in profitability because of retail shrink in 2023. The mind-boggling amount is on its way to possibly surpassing how much Target lost from shrinkage in 2022, $800 million.
While these losses continue to nip away at Target’s profitability margins, the retailer remains steadfast in its fight against theft. But now, one abrupt policy change—which may be another subtle anti-theft measure—has some shoppers up in arms, especially those with young kids.
RELATED: Shoppers Are Abandoning Target, CEO Says—Here's Why.
While visiting their local Target in the Bronx, New York, a customer noticed large signs plastered on every door, seemingly banning anyone under the age of 18 from entering unless they're with an adult. In a video posted by the shopper on X, the sign clearly states that “all guests under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult at this Target store,” in all caps.
“Unless you’re 18, and with an adult, (ID’s checked at the door) you can’t enter Target in the Bronx,” the person wrote alongside the clip. They also added that self-checkout was roped off and team members were verifying receipts at the exits.
Since its posting, the video has been viewed more than 11,000 times, and has racked up thousands of likes and thousands of comments. Target shoppers aren’t happy about the new rule, and some are even calling for a “lifetime boycott.”
"Why are you shopping at Target? Lifetime Boycott," someone wrote in the post’s comment section.
In another post on X, a user shared that they saw security officers lining up minors outside of a Target in Washington, D.C. “Tenleytown Target had 3 security guards standing guard outside the front door in order to keep minors in a line to go in,” they wrote.
One user chimed in that they had noticed the rule is only taken seriously “for a couple hours in the afternoon when school lets out.”
Target hasn’t publicly confirmed the reason behind the new age limit at select locations, though some patrons believe it has to do with the store’s anti-theft measures. Best Life reached out to Target for comment on the current "under 18" policy, and we will update this story with its response.
In the meantime, it's not yet clear whether this age restriction will affect more Target locations, or if it's just being done on a store-by-store basis.
