US retailer Target has apologised and withdrawn a children’s Halloween clown costume after critics said its appearance evoked Blackface and racist minstrel imagery.
The product, marketed as the “Kids’ Glows Under Blacklight Circus Clown Halloween Costume,” drew criticism on social media, where some users described it as resembling a racist caricature.
“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.”
Target said the incident was “especially hurtful for our Black guests, team members and partners” and that it was reviewing how the product had been approved for sale and what changes were needed to prevent a recurrence.
The company declined to identify the costume’s designer or provide details about its approval process. The item was sold under Target’s seasonal Hyde and EEK Boutique brand.
The controversy comes as Target faces continued scrutiny over its approach to diversity and inclusion. The retailer previously faced criticism over its handling of its 2023 Pride Collection and later changes to its diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.
Some Black consumers linked the latest controversy to those changes. Minneapolis-area business leader Sheletta Brundidge questioned whether Target’s rollback of diversity initiatives had reduced the range of perspectives involved in product decisions.
“You rolled back diversity,” she said, “so who’s in the room, now, to say, ‘Hey, this is wrong?’”
Target said it was “looking closely at how this happened and what needs to change.”