Target pulls children's Halloween costume after backlash over imagery

Target has pulled a children's Halloween costume from its stores and website and issued a public apology after the item drew widespread criticism on social media over the weekend, with commentators saying its design evoked imagery associated with blackface and minstrel-era caricatures.

"As a company, we know we got this wrong, and we are deeply sorry," Target said in a statement. "The costume is offensive and should never have been part of our assortment. It is no longer available for sale." The retailer said it was reviewing how the product made it through its design and approval process.

Critics said the costume's imagery echoed caricatures from Jim Crow-era minstrel shows, which embedded harmful stereotypes into popular culture and helped justify decades of discrimination and segregation. The product had circulated widely online in the days before Target's response, with the criticism amplified by parents, commentators and civil rights advocates.

The episode lands in the middle of a broader turnaround effort at Target under new chief executive Michael Fiddelke, who took over from Brian Cornell earlier this year and has laid out plans to invest roughly $2 billion in 2026, including store remodels and new locations, as the retailer works to reverse a stretch of soft sales. Retail analysts said the incident echoes similar controversies other major brands have faced over inventory errors in recent months, and that how quickly a retailer acknowledges and corrects the mistake tends to shape how much lasting damage it does to the brand.

It is not the first time Target has had to pull a costume over complaints of insensitivity; the company has faced similar backlash in past years over other Halloween products. The retailer said it would strengthen its internal review procedures for holiday and costume merchandise going forward, though it has not detailed a specific timeline for those changes.