Target is under fire over another Halloween costume just weeks after apologizing for the last one
Just a few weeks after coming under fire for a children’s Halloween costume that drew comparisons to blackface caricatures, Target’s Halloween collection is under fire again, although this time around the retailer isn’t alone in the controversy.
Target, Walmart, and Amazon have pulled a “German Army Soldier Adult Costume” from their websites. Originally sold by Orion Costumes, the outfit features a vintage-looking jacket and pants set that resembles the uniforms of Nazi soldiers during World War II.
While the costume is no longer listed on any of the three retailers’ websites, links to archived pages reveal the product’s name and ties to Orion Costumes.
According to screenshots of the product listings shared on social media, the costume was originally available for purchase for $49.99 at Walmart and Target.
The product description indicates the costume includes a jacket, trousers, boot covers, and a hat. While the description does not mention Nazis, it does reference the 1940s; the Nazi party ruled Germany into the spring of 1945.
“If you’re looking for a vintage style look for your next fancy dress night, why not try a 1940s theme?” a screenshot of the product description says.
Fast Company was not able to independently verify the screenshots.
The product removal comes just weeks after Target had to pull another Halloween costume for insensitive historical allusions.
Back in August, a children’s costume listed on Target’s website as “Kids’ Glows Under Blacklight Circus Clown Halloween Costume Bodysuit” was called out for resembling imagery from Jim Crow-era blackface minstrelsy. On August 23, after screenshots of the costume went viral on social media, Target pulled the costume from its website.
“As a company, we know we got this wrong, and we are deeply sorry. The costume is offensive and should never have been part of our assortment. It is no longer available for sale,” Target said in a statement at the time. “We know this is especially hurtful for our Black guests, team members and partners. Removing the costume is an important first step, and the company is looking closely at how this happened and what needs to change to ensure this won’t happen again.”
Yet less than a month later, the national retailer is once again pulling a costume from its inventory, now joined by two other giants in the industry.