Walmart REFUSES to make changes to its Pride Month merchandise trends now
Walmart will stand firm on its Pride Month collection despite rivals Target pulling some merchandising in the wake of customer backlash.
The billion-dollar American retailer's Chief Merchandising Officer Latriece Watkins said the more than 4,500 stores sell products 'all year that supports different groups' adding that 'in this particular case, we haven't changed anything in our assortment.'
Last week, Target pulled some Pride-related merchandise, including items by transgender designer Erik Carnell, saying the products led to 'volatile circumstances,' such as confrontations between customers and Target employees, and customers throwing Pride merchandise on the floor.
Walmart also offers LGBTQ-themed merchandise tied to Pride Month, which is celebrated in June, including rainbow-adorned flags, clothing and accessories.
The backlash comes amid a broader wave of anti-woke boycotts against brands after Bud Light's disastrous marketing decision to promote its beer with trans influencer Dylan Mulvaney.
Walmart will stand firm on its Pride Month collection despite rivals Target pulling some merchandising in the wake of customer backlash
Walmart also offers LGBTQ-themed merchandise tied to Pride Month, which is celebrated in June, including rainbow-adorned flags, clothing and accessories
Its 'Pride & Joy' collection includes a $7.98 set of enamel pins with messages such as 'Be you. Be Proud.' and 'You are enough' as well as children's pride themed clothes such as a shirt that says, 'I love my 2 moms.'
Walmart's Watkins said the retailer hasn't changed its security measures in response to the confrontations Target cited at its own stores, adding that Walmart hasn't seen similar issues.
'In this particular case, when we think about security... we have not done anything in particular differently related to security in our stores,' Watkins said.
In an email to DailyMail.com Walmart said its comment hasn't changed from its previous statement adding 'we have nothing more to add beyond Latriece's comments.'
DailyMail.com has contacted Target for comment.
Target's decision to remove some Pride products came weeks after brewer Anheuser-Busch's partnership with transgender triggered a huge boycott.
Since then Bud Light's sales have plunged as much as 30 percent and parent firm ABInBev's shares have been sent sliding.
On Wednesday, Target's market value plummeted by $14 billion as shares dropped for the ninth consecutive day by a further 2.14 percent.
Walmart's 'Pride & Joy' collection includes a $7.98 set of enamel pins with messages such as 'Be you. Be Proud.' and 'You are enough' as well as children's pride themed clothes such as a shirt that says, 'I love my 2 moms'
It comes as the chain seeks to recover from backlash against its female swimwear range which gives adult wearers the option to 'tuck' male genitalia.
The company's market value had been $74 billion - with shares trading at $160.96 - as of May 17.
But stock fell later that week when it made 'adjustments' to its Pride merchandising plans, including removing displays 'that have been at the center of the most significant confrontational behavior' at some of its stores, said CEO Brian Cornell in a statement last week.
Some Southern stores were forced to move merchandise - many of which were designed by Erik Carnell, a transgender man and self-proclaimed Satanist - to the back of stores.
It was done to avoid a 'Bud Light situation' - a disastrous marketing decision to
