Target location introduces new ‘over 18’ policy

The contraction and expansion of retailers in this decade has been something to marvel at.

On the one hand, many specialty retailers that made large footprints and catered to niche consumer interests have struggled since the covid pandemic, which forced most shoppers to stay at home and take up hobbies.

Joann Fabrics, Body Shop, Bed Bath & Beyond, and Party City all filed for bankruptcy in the past year.

The pandemic may be behind us, but it has permanently shifted how we think about shopping. Now, most of us prefer to shop online for things we know we like, such as party supplies or home decor.

And for the things we’re open to being influenced on, as with a new fragrance or specialty body lotion, we also look online, seeking others’ opinions on forums and social media, often before going in and discovering for ourselves.

Retailers take more precautions

But the past several years have shifted the way that surviving retailers think about the shopping experience, too.

Retail crime, be it theft or violence, has surged. For example, smash-and-grabs jumped in metropolitan areas where some stores took softer policies on shoplifting.

Other stores struggled to keep robust workforces, opting instead for more autonomous technology like self-checkout kiosks to help customers move more quickly with their purchases.

But more self-checkouts created more inventory shrink, the industry term for a loss of product. This occurs in part when customers accidentally or purposely fail to properly scan items and aren’t caught by a security system.

People use self-checkout at a Target.

Image source: John Smith/VIEWpress.

Target institutes an under-18 policy

Large stores like Target (TGT) and Walmart (WMT) have been hit particularly hard by inventory shrink, with some CEOs calling the levels of it unsustainable for business and profitability.

This forced Target in March to limit self-checkout to customers with 10 items or fewer during normal business operations.

And a Target location in the Columbia Heights neighborhood of Washington is now implementing a stricter policy, mandating that anybody under age 18 must be accompanied by an adult to enter the store.

Some cities like Washington have seen an uptick in juvenile crime, especially when it comes to attempted robbery, carjacking and petty theft.

Earlier this year customers noticed a sign posted outside the Columbia Heights Target on 14th Street, which is a part of a massive retail complex also housing a Best Buy, Old Navy and Lidl.

“All guests under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult at this Target store,” the sign reads at the entrance.

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Customers note that some departments within the Target store are under lock and key, including personal-care products and menswear like socks, boxers and undershirts.

The location, which is a part of the DC USA shopping complex, serves more than 36,000 people a day and is the largest retail development in the city.

The greater DC USA shopping complex has similar signs posted throughout the area, mandating that minors must be accompanied by legal adults.

TheStreet has reached out to Target for comment.