Walmart and Target have allegedly been directing employees to remove prices from tags on many in-store apparel items for several months, according to social media posts.
Posts across TikTok, Reddit, and Facebook from people claiming to be the retailers’ workers, as well as consumers, show workers removing the bottom portion of tags with prices and consumers discovering ripped tags in stores. Posts show whole displays of clothing for brands like Walmart’s Wonder Nation and Target’s Auden at stores across the country with altered tags.
Social media posts accusing both retailers of the practice began appearing online around the same time. These posters claim that removing price tags can allow the retailers to raise prices more easily, possibly in response to tariffs, and the moves have garnered criticism both from workers who say their shifts have been dedicated to the task and confused consumers who believe the retailers are attempting to conceal price increases.
Rag tag: In one TikTok from July 25, a poster claiming to be a Target employee bemoans “having to rip off EVERY individual price,” noting she spent “almost a whole 8-hour shift” performing the task. Another August 8 TikTok by someone saying they are a Target worker shows her tearing off the price tags on stacks of jeans, claiming that the retailer “can’t keep up with constant price changes.” Some Reddit users made similar assertions in a July 20 r/Target thread—claiming employees had to work past closing or come in at 4am to remove prices on tags.
