Target's most significant publicly disclosed security incident to date remains its 2013 breach, in which attackers stole payment card data and other personally identifiable information belonging to up to 110 million customers and exfiltrated it to infrastructure located in Eastern Europe, according to U.S. Senate and academic investigations.
In addition to examining the events surrounding the Target breach, hearings have focused on preventing such data breaches, improving data security standards, protecting consumers' personal data, and notifying consumers when their data have been compromised.
On January 10, 2014, Target announced that personal information, including the names, addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses of up to 70 million customers, was also stolen during the data breach.
On December 19, 2013, Target confirmed that some 40 million credit and debit card account numbers had been stolen.
In addition to examining the events surrounding the Target breach, hearings have focused on preventing such data breaches, improving data security standards, protecting consumers’ personal data, and notifying consumers when their data have been compromised.
Corporate conductRecall
Target recalls weighted blankets due to asphyxiation risk
Target recalled children's Pillowfort weighted blankets after two fatalities linked to the asphyxiation hazard.
It also said Target concealed backlash from its May 2023 Pride Month campaign, which led the retailer to remove some LGBTQ-themed merchandise after in-store confrontations led some employees to fear for their safety.
Target is sued for defrauding shareholders about DEI
Target has already faced plenty of public backlash for its decision to scale back its DEI initiatives, perhaps most notably from the Twin Cities Pride festival, which operates in the same city where the company is headquartered.
Target Ends DEI Initiatives, Becoming Latest Company to Bow to the Right’s Moral Panic | Them
Target Ends DEI Initiatives, Becoming Latest Company to Bow to the Right’s Moral Panic
It also said Target concealed backlash from its May 2023 Pride Month campaign, which led the retailer to remove some LGBTQ-themed merchandise after in-store confrontations led some employees to fear for their safety.
It also said Target concealed backlash from its 2023 Pride Month campaign, which led the retailer to remove some LGBTQ-themed merchandise after in-store confrontations led some employees to fear for their safety.
Corporate conductRecall
Target recalls frozen desserts due to contamination
Target recalled popular frozen desserts after detecting contamination.
Target Corporation to Pay $5 Million in Price Accuracy Settlement
Reid Approved: LOL Title: Senior Deputy District Attorney Date: Friday, March 11, 2022 Telephone: (805) 662-1705 Release No.: 22-017 Email: [email protected] Target Corporation to Pay $5 Million in Price Accuracy Settlement VENTURA, California – District Attorney Erik Nasarenko announced today that Target Corporation entered a stipulated judgment and will pay $5 million in civil penalties to resolve allegations of false advertising and unfair competition relating to price accuracy of its merchandise.
In addition, Target may no longer use technology that causes pricing in the mobile app to increase solely based on a user’s geographic location: Target must now conspicuously disclose where consumers can obtain items at the prices listed in their app.
The settlement further enjoins Target from engaging in false or misleading advertising, or charging an amount greater than the lowest price advertised for an item.
“County residents should verify they are charged the correct price for purchases and should contact Ventura County Weights & Measures at (805) 654-2444 if they have a concern about price accuracy in Ventura County.” Under the terms of the settlement, Target will pay an additional $100,000 to the Consumer Protection Trust, $100,000 to the California Agricultural Commissioners and Sealers Association Quality Control Trust, and $173,618 in investigative costs to numerous county Weights & Measures agencies.
But preventing Target from continuing its unfair and deceptive practices thus far has been a game of whack-a-mole for local agencies because even when Target is fined, the fines are a drop in the bucket for the $100 billion-dollar retailer and dwarf the hundreds of millions of dollars Target profits each year from selling Overcharged Goods.
The false and misleading Shelf Pricing affects various merchandise throughout Target’s stores, with Overcharged Goods costin g consumers higher prices in a range of 5-20%, and some much higher.
Instead, through its unfair and deceptive pricing practices, Target deceives consumers into paying more for Overcharged Goods than the value represented on Target’s Shelf Pricing.
14 Business Practices Act; (iv) whether Target’s violation is willful or grossly negligent; (v) whether Target should be enjoined from continuing to charge consumers higher prices for merchandise than is advertised on its Shelf Pricing, or require d to implement systemic controls to ensure the same; (vi) whether Plaintiff and the Class memb ers sustained actual dama ges; and (vii) whether Target has unjustly enriched itself by deceptively overcharging customers for Overcharged Goods.
For example, on August 2, 2002, Plaintiff purchased Overcharged Goods at Target’s store located at 6150 W. Touhy Avenue, N iles Illinois.
For example, at least two state agencies have taken action ag ainst Target for its unfair and deceptive pricing practices and its overcharging of consumers, resulting in millions of dollars in fines.
Further, Plaintiff’s investigation revealed that even in North Carolina – a state in which Target has been fined for its unfair and deceptive pricing practices – Target continues to use deceptive Shelf Pricing to overcharge consumers at checkout – even at the very same stores that had been fined for overcharging consumers as recently as February 2022.
This action seeks to address and remedy th e unfair and deceptive business practices Target has engaged in by placing false and misl eading price advertisements on shelf signs and price displays (“Shelf Pric ing”) throughout its stores in Illinois and nationwide.
For example, in March 2022, the California District Attorney assessed Target $5 million in civil fines based on ov ercharging and false advertising claims against related to “unlawfully charg[ing] customers higher prices than the lowest advertised price.” 5 Previously, in February 2015, Target agreed to pay $4 million in a settlement agreement with California County District Attorneys for scanning and pricing errors at checkout stands at its more than 250 stores in California.
The Federal Trade Commission Forbid s Target’s Unfair and Deceptive Pricing Practices 28.
Target uses Shelf Pricing to advertise pri ces, price changes and bargains inside its stores, which are designed to, and do, induce consumers in Illinois and throughout the United States, including Plaintiff and Class members, into selecting the adve rtised goods from among similar products located nearby on the shelf and into believing that they will pay the price advertised.
Commonality and Predominance – Federa l Rule of Civil Procedure 23(a)(2) and 23(b)(3): This action involves common questions of law or fact, which predominate over any questions affecting individual Class members, including: (i) whether Target’s pricing practices are false, deceptive, misleading, unfair and/or unlawful; (ii) whether Target’s pricing practices with respect to Shelf Pricing and Overcharge Goods are false, deceptive, misleading, unfair and/or unlawful; (iii) whether Target’s conduct violates the Illinois Consumer Fraud Act and Deceptive Georgia (Ga.
2. Target uses Shelf Pricing to advertise pr ices for merchandise to enable consumers to calculate pricing differences among brands, identify bargains, and to induce consumers to purchase the advertised merchandise.
Target knows that it overcharges consumers through its unfair and deceptive pricing practices.
Ritz Hint of Salt Crackers: Target’s Shelf Pricing advertised that the crackers cost $3.49.
Plaintiff purchased Overcharged Goods based on Target’s Shelf Pricing and would not have purchased the Overcharged Goods but for the advertised Shelf Pricing.
Prior to purchasing these Overcharge d Goods, Plaintiff read and relied upon Defendant’s false and misleading Shelf Pricing that was prepared and approved by Target.
Target Deceived Plaintiff and Class Members with its False, Misleading, Unfair and Deceptive Pricing Practices Resulting in Actual Damage to Plaintiff and Class Members 21.
Corporate conductAllegation
Target is accused of concealing diversity risks
Target is accused of concealing the risks of diversity and social initiatives that led to customer backlash and significant market value loss.
Florida sued Target for allegedly concealing the risks of its diversity and social initiatives, leading to a backlash among customers that caused its stock price to decline.
Target was sued on Thursday by the state of Florida for allegedly concealing the risks of diversity and social initiatives that led to a customer backlash and wiped billions of dollars from the retailer’s market value.
Target sued by Florida for defrauding shareholders about DEI
Target was sued on Thursday by the state of Florida for allegedly concealing the risks of diversity and social initiatives that led to a customer backlash and wiped billions of dollars from the retailer’s market value.
Target sued by Florida for defrauding shareholders about DEI
It also said Target concealed backlash from its May 2023 Pride Month campaign, which led the retailer to remove some LGBTQ-themed merchandise after in-store confrontations led some employees to fear for their safety.
Target has been sued for allegedly concealing the risks of its diversity and social initiatives, leading to a backlash that caused customers to flee and the stock price of the Minneapolis-based retailer to plummet.
Target is sued for 'defrauding' shareholders about DEI | MPR News
Target TGT.N has been sued for allegedly concealing the risks of its diversity and social initiatives, leading to a backlash that caused customers to flee and the stock price of the Minneapolis-based retailer to plummet.
Target has implemented new policies and procedures as a result of the settlement and is required to maintain a price-auditing program in its California stores for a period of at least seven years.
Climate & energyConfirmed
Target pays $7.4 million for environmental violations
Target paid $7.4 million to address environmental violations.
10. Target, in settlement of the above-described violations of 17 CCR
Target, in settlement of the above-described violations of 17 CCR section 94507 et seq., agrees to pay a penalty to CARB in the amount of $221,850 payable to the California Air Pollution Control Fund, concurrent with the execution of this Agreement.
Privacy & surveillanceConfirmed
Target reports customer data breach
Target announced a breach exposing customer data between Nov. 27 and Dec. 15, 2013.
In one such case, an Ohio-based health care company’s due diligence of an acquisition target uncovered FCPA vio - lations by the target’s subsidiary, and, before the merger was completed, the subsidiary’s violations were disclosed to DOJ and SEC.
In one such case, an Ohio-based health care company’s due diligence of an acquisition target uncovered FCPA vio - lations by the target’s subsidiary, and, before the merger was completed, the subsidiary’s violations were disclosed to DOJ and SEC.
Corporate conductRecall
Target recalls four products for safety hazards and undeclared allergens
Target recalled four products sold at stores nationwide due to safety hazards and undeclared allergens.
NEW YORK (AP) — Discount store chain Target said Friday that it would join rival Walmart and a number of other prominent American brands in scaling back diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives that have come under attack from conservative activists and, as of this week, the White House.
Target’s decision to scale back its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives prompted widespread backlash from Black leaders and organizations.
The investors cited Target's decision to end some diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, scale back Pride-themed merchandise, and its limited response to Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids at its Minnesota locations as some of the "missteps" that have recently spurred consumer backlash and reputational harm.
Target ends some DEI initiatives, reiterates commitment to belonging and inclusion
Once an industry leader for championing inclusion, in recent years Target has caved to political pressure — slashing its Pride merchandise collection in 2024, rolling back DEI initiatives in 2025, and most recently its muted response to ICE after federal agents shot and killed Renee Good and Alex Pretti and detained two of its employees in the company's home city of Minneapolis.
Target also said it was ending its Racial Equity Action and Change (REACH) initiatives this year, under which it had pledged to invest over $2 billion with Black-owned businesses by the end of 2025.
Target also decided to join the trend by announcing on Jan. 24 that it would cut down on various DEI initiatives this year, including ending its three-year-long DEI goals, concluding its Racial Equity Action and Change (REACH) initiatives, and changing the name of its "Supplier Diversity" team to "Supplier Engagement."
But Target eliminated its three-year DEI goals and stopped participation in external diversity surveys, after the election of President Donald Trump, who opposes such policies.
The recent events have caused renewed backlash against Target, nearly a year after boycotts began over the company rolling back its diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.
Once an industry leader for championing inclusion, in recent years Target has caved to political pressure — slashing its Pride merchandise collection in 2024, rolling back DEI initiatives in 2025, and most recently its muted response to ICE after federal agents shot and killed Renee Good and Alex Pretti and detained two of its employees in the company’s home city of Minneapolis.
24, Target announced it was ending its three-year program to promote diversity in hiring and promotions, closing a program designed to increase spending and media exposure to Black brands, and would stop participating in external reporting of its diversity metrics, among other changes.
The lawsuit, which was filed after Target announced it would be rolling back DEI programs, accused the company and its CEO, Brian Cornell, of not disclosing risk related to Target's Environmental, Social and Governance and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiatives.
Target announced Friday that it will implement some changes to its “Belonging at the Bullseye” strategy, including ending its three-year DEI goals and ending its Racial Equity Action and Change (REACH) initiatives in 2025, as planned.
Target’s decision to scale back its diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs is being met with backlash from the LGBTQ+ community on the Minneapolis-headquartered retailer’s home turf.
Target is hardly the only name-brand institution to have backtracked on prior DEI commitments in recent years, in response to either conservative “anti-woke” campaigns or Trump administration hostility toward the very concept.
NEW YORK (AP) — Discount store chain Target said Friday that it would join rival Walmart and a number of other prominent American brands in scaling back diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives that have come under attack from conservative activists and, as of this week, the White House.
Target just became the latest major U.S. corporation to roll back diversity initiatives in the wake of President Donald Trump’s election and inauguration.
It triggered a ripple effect in the retail world, with Target and others that had implemented policies to bolster diversity among their employees and reduce inequities against members of minority groups, pulling back on those initiatives.
Target officially ended its three-year-long DEI goals in January.
Target abandoned its community with its scale back of its Pride collection, year after year, and its winding down of DEI initiatives across the Enterprise.
The letter from employees highlighted Target's scaled-back LGBTQ+ Pride collection, its wind-down of certain DEI initiatives, and its donation to Donald Trump's inauguration fund as examples of how the company has "abandoned its community" in recent years.
Target on Friday said it's rolling back diversity, equity and inclusion programs — including some that aim to make its workforce and merchandise better reflect its customers.
Earlier this year, Target rolled back its diversity, equity and inclusion efforts soon after Trump vowed to dismantle every DEI initiative across the federal government.
Twice in the past two years, Target has backed away from diversity and inclusion efforts that some customers associated with its identity as a retailer. The company in 2023 pulled some merchandise from its Pride line, an annual collection that it has sold for more than a decade, after it said its employees faced safety threats. It also rolled back major DEI initiatives in January, just days after Trump signed executive orders to end similar programs in the government.
The nonprofit, which is based in Target's hometown, cut ties with the retailer early in 2025 after Target rolled back key diversity, equity and inclusion commitments.
In May, Target said sluggish sales resulted from weaker discretionary spending, uncertainty about President Donald Trump's tariffs and backlash to its decision to roll back key diversity, equity and inclusion efforts.
Its racial equity committee, minority hiring pledges, and financial commitments to Black-owned suppliers are all ending, as well as Target’s participation in external diversity-focused surveys like the one from the Human Rights Campaign, an LGBTQ advocacy group.
Almost a month after Target said it was ending some of its diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs, the company is facing backlash from customers, the heirs to one of its founders and civil rights activists.
The changes to Target’s DEI policies—which the company announced in late January—wound down its diversity goals and also ended its participation in the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index, a popular benchmarking survey that measures workplace inclusion for LGBTQ+ employees.
In January, Target said it would end its three-year DEI goals, no longer share company reports with external diversity-focused groups like the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equity Index and end specific efforts to get more products from Black- and minority-owned businesses on its shelves.
Target rolls back DEI initiatives, the latest big company to retreat
Target on Friday said it’s rolling back diversity, equity and inclusion programs — including some that aim to make its workforce and merchandise better reflect its customers.
Soon after, Target announced that it would discontinue its DEI programs, sparking backlash from advocacy groups and prompting critical social media campaigns.
Target will roll back some of its diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs, joining a growing list of corporations that have given in to pressure from conservatives and followed the lead of President Donald Trump, who has vowed to “abolish all discriminatory diversity, equity and inclusion nonsense.”
As part of the shift, Target will conclude its three-year DEI goals, rebrand its “supplier diversity” team as “supplier engagement,” and discontinue its participation in external, diversity-focused surveys, including the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s Corporate Equality Index, a prominent benchmarking tool for LGBTQ-inclusive corporate practices.
NEW YORK (AP) — Discount store chain Target said Friday that it would join rival Walmart and a number of other prominent American brands in scaling back diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives that have come under attack from conservative activists and, as of this week, the White House.
Target says it is ending its DEI goals and programs, citing an 'evolving external landscape' | PBS News
In January 2025, Target said it would stop participating in outside surveys related to diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI, and shift its “supplier diversity” programs to what it called “supplier engagement.”
Target is the latest corporation to cave to conservative pressure and scale back its diversity, equality, and inclusion (DEI) programs aimed at benefiting marginalized communities.
Target turning away from its DEI commitments was "not just an abandonment of DEI, we felt as if it was a betrayal to it.''
Once one of the loudest corporate supporters of Black America, Target joined a broad retreat from DEI policies shortly after Trump issued a series of executive orders aimed at eliminating “illegal DEI” in the federal government and the private sector.
A yearlong national consumer boycott of Target over its diversity, equity and inclusion rollbacks is ending without any changes to the retail giant's policy.
The letter from employees highlighted Target's scaled-back LGBTQ+ Pride collection, its wind-down of certain DEI initiatives, and its donation to Donald Trump's inauguration fund as examples of how the company has "abandoned its community" in recent years.
The EEOC's lawsuit said that Target failed to provide a reasonable accommodation to Ms. Stombaugh, a qualified employee with multiple sclerosis, when it refused to transfer her to a vacant position after her disability interfered with her ability to perform her current job.
Corporate conductRecall
Target recalls tea light candles
Target recalled tea light candles due to a documented safety risk.
Target Nationwide Recall Update—’Risk of Serious Injury’ - Newsweek
Target has issued multiple recalls so far in 2026, affecting children’s products, household items, and food sold in its stores and online, with some announcements, issued by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) or the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), warning consumers that there is a “risk of serious injury.”
Corporate conductAllegation
Target Corporation is accused of violating False Claims Act
Target Corporation is accused of violating the False Claims Act by auto refilling Medicaid prescriptions in Massachusetts and has agreed to pay $3,000,000 to resolve the allegations.
District of Minnesota | Target Corporation To Pay $3,000,000 To Resolve False Claims Act Allegations Concerning Auto Refilling Medicaid Prescriptions In Massachusetts | United States Department of Justice
Corporate conductRecall
Target recalls 10,000mAh Anker MagGo power banks
Target is recalling Anker MagGo Power Banks with 10,000mAh battery capacity.
Target is recalling Anker MagGo Power Banks with 10,000mAh battery capacity.
Corporate conductAllegation
Target is accused of concealing DEI financial risks
Target is accused of concealing the financial risks of its diversity, equity and inclusion programs and 2023 Pride Month merchandise collection by Florida and America First Legal.
Target was sued Thursday by Florida and America First Legal for allegedly concealing the financial risks of its diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs and its 2023 Pride Month merchandise collection.
Corporate conductRecall
Target recalls leather pouf ottoman
Target recalled leather pouf ottomans due to suffocation and choking hazards.