Walmart’s Pride merchandising unchanged as Target sees backlash over new items 

As Target continues to deal with backlash over its controversial Pride merchandise, such as "tuck friendly" bathing suits which forced the retailer to remove and relocate some items due to employee safety concerns, its chief rival is not seeing anything similar.  

Walmart's Chief Merchandising Officer Latriece Watkins said Wednesday that their LGBTQ+ merchandise has not changed and likely would not. 

"I think we have merchandise that we sell all year that supports different groups. I'd say in this particular case, we haven't changed anything in our assortment," said Watkins, in response to a question about the Target controversy made at the company’s associate and shareholder week attended by FOX Business.  

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Security measures have not changed either.

"I wouldn't say that there's anything in particular that we've done differently related to security," she added. 

Walmart declined to comment directly on the controversy surrounding Target or elaborate on their Pride merchandise styles. A FOX Business "Pride" search of the retailer's website turned up an array of products ranging from apparel, beauty and accessories, among other items. 

Its "Pride and Joy" collection features LGBTQIA-founded brands. 

The middle of the road strategy has spared the nation's largest retailer from getting embroiled in social politics and corporate wokeness, a move Walmart U.S. CEO Doug McMillon is not interested in.

Walmart doesn't "wake up in the morning wanting to go and make social and political statements…"

- Walmart CEO Doug McMillon's response to a question at June 2023 mtg. 

He told shareholders the company does not "wake up in the morning wanting to go and make social and political statements," in response to a question about the company's engagement with public commentary during the company's meeting Wednesday. 

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"We're retailer," he added. "We want everybody to feel comfortable shopping with us…and we want everybody to feel comfortable and excited about working at Walmart."

As Fox News Digital was first to report, many Target locations, mostly in rural areas of the South, relocated Pride sections to avoid the kind of backlash Bud Light has received in recent weeks after using a transgender influencer in a promotional campaign. 

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"For more than a decade, Target has offered an assortment of products aimed at celebrating Pride Month. Since introducing this year’s collection, we've experienced threats impacting our team members’ sense of safety and wellbeing while at work. Given these volatile circumstances, we are making adjustments to our plans, including removing items that have been at the center of the most significant confrontational behavior. Our focus now is on moving forward with our continuing commitment to the LGBTQIA+ community and standing with them as we celebrate Pride Month and throughout the year," a Target spokesperson told Fox News Digital.

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Target has lost over $14 billion in market cap since the controversy began, sending shares near a three-year low. 

Separately, the retailer's Gay Pride collection has been linked to controversial designer Erik Carnell of Abprallen, who is an outspoken Satanist whose brand features occult imagery and messages like "Satan respects pronouns" on brand apparel, Fox News Digital also reported. 

As for Walmart, shares are up about 4% year-to-date, vs. Target's 12% drop. 

Fox News Digital's Brian Flood and Hannah Grossman contributed to this report.