Target customers ‘mourning’ major change taking place: ‘It’s all Kmart’
Target and Kmart's merger was announced in 2023 but Anko products are now on Target shelves and not all customers are happy.
Disappointed shoppers are "in mourning" as a major change to Target sees its shelves across the country filled with Kmart’s Anko branded products.
Couple Kaitlin and Josh raced down to their local Target to nab a few bargains after they heard the news that prices had been slashed on popular homeware products. But the couple were gutted to find they were too late — and "every” product in the store was replaced with Kmart's Anko brand.
The retail giant announced last year it would be merging its operations with Kmart, and the change was originally expected to affect just the internal management of the two iconic brands. Eagle-eyed customers recently spotted empty Target shelves with Yahoo confirming Target would make room to stock "select Anko products" from February, 2024.
“I quite literally ran to Target this morning when I’d seen everyone talking about the clearance sale but my Target’s already turning into Kmart,” Kaitlin, from NSW, said in a video captioned "petition to bring back Target".
The camera pans across the Target store where shelves are full of the Anko-branded products. "There’s literally nothing Target left in the store, it’s all Anko," said Kaitlin. She adds that even the popular bedding and homewares have been replaced with Kmart's brand.
"Target bedding was elite and now it’s just all Kmart," she said. “I don’t understand the point.”
“It’s s**t,” her partner Josh added.
Target 'confident' customers will like the move
Earlier this month, Yahoo News Australia confirmed Target would be stocking "select Anko products" from February 2024, following the announcement of the merger in July 2023.
"While we are confident customers will like the curation of products, like always, we will continue to test and learn in response to customer feedback," a Target spokesperson said.
Despite the news last year, many Aussies have expressed their surprise and are upset about the change coming into effect.
Aussies divided over Target change
Despite Target’s confidence in their decision, some Aussies have reacted poorly to the change. "I’m mad about it," said one shopper. "If I wanted to shop at Kmart I would shop at Kmart. Target was always that bit nicer."
Another said they were "broken to their core," adding: "I’m in a state of mourning now."
While many are upset, others are delighted. "If this is true I’m happy I have a Target literally a 2-minute drive from my house," said one person
A second, who said her closest Kmart is two hours away, said she was "happy" with the change.
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