Target, one of America’s largest retail chains, is once again under the spotlight as a new in-store policy has triggered frustration and discomfort among some shoppers. In early 2026, the company introduced updated rules aimed at improving customer service and reducing checkout issues — but many customers have reacted with uneasiness instead of enthusiasm. The mixed response highlights how even well-intended changes can backfire when they affect everyday shopping habits or personal comfort.
At a time when Target is trying to regain foot traffic, improve customer loyalty, and reassert its relevance in the highly competitive retail sector, this policy rollout underscores the fine line between service innovation and shopper irritation. With shoppers already sensitive about wait times, social interaction, and convenience, understanding what changed and how people are reacting is key for anyone who regularly shops at Target.
What Is Target’s New Policy and Why It’s Causing Unease
One of the most talked-about changes is a new customer-interaction rule often referred to online as the “10/4 policy.” Under this approach, Target employees are expected to acknowledge customers more proactively:
- Employees within 10 feet of a shopper should smile, make eye contact, wave, and convey welcoming body language
- Employees within 4 feet must directly greet and offer assistance to the customer
Target says the goal is to “elevate the shopping experience” by making guests feel recognized and supported, especially in a retail environment that increasingly blends human interaction with digital self-service.
However, many shoppers find this approach intrusive or awkward. For introverted customers or people who prefer low-interaction shopping trips, the close-range greeting requirement feels like surveillance rather than service — creating a sense of being watched or pressured to respond politely.
Some customers and employees have even jokingly talked about bringing their own measuring tape to avoid being greeted within four feet — a telling sign of how uncomfortable the rule feels to certain segments of the public.
Self-Checkout Limits and Checkout Friction: Another Point of Discomfort
In addition to the greeting rules, some shoppers have reacted negatively to other operational changes that affect how they pay for items. For example, Target has been limiting self-checkout to baskets with ten items or fewer in selected stores — a policy designed to enhance loss prevention and streamline checkout lanes.
For customers accustomed to using self-checkout for large purchases, this change has meant longer lines and more time waiting at staffed registers, which adds another layer of frustration in an already sensitive shopping experience.
While the express self-checkout strategy has been praised in some industry reports for reducing transaction times overall, the shift still represents a departure from customer expectations of convenience, especially for families and bulk shoppers.
Why Some Shoppers Are Pushing Back
Reactions online and in stores have ranged from mild grumbling to outright discomfort and calls for boycott. Common reasons customers are uneasy include:
- Feeling “watched” or pressured by forced greetings and personal acknowledgment policies.
- Reduced control over checkout options, making typical fast, anonymous shopping more difficult.
- Perception that Target is focusing on cosmetic engagement instead of solving deeper service issues like product availability, pricing, or store organization.
Critics argue that these kinds of policies may solve superficial problems but miss the real drivers of customer dissatisfaction, such as long waits, product availability, and competitive pricing.
What This Means for Target’s Brand and Future
Target’s current leadership — including its new CEO — has openly acknowledged that the company needs to rebuild customer trust and improve the overall store experience after a period of sales challenges and public criticism.
Whether this new policy ultimately strengthens customer relationships or accelerates shopper fatigue depends on how well Target balances personal interaction with customer comfort and convenience. Retail experts suggest that having options — such as optional greeting preferences or more flexible checkout choices — could help address the uneasiness without abandoning the goal of better service.
FAQs
What exactly is Target’s “10/4” policy?
Employees must use friendly body language within 10 feet of a customer and personally greet customers within 4 feet.
Why are some customers unhappy with this change?
Many feel it’s intrusive or awkward, especially those who prefer minimal social interaction.
Is this policy nationwide or only in some stores?
It’s being rolled out in many locations as part of an effort to improve service, though implementation may vary.
What other policy changes at Target are causing discomfort?
Limits on self-checkout to ten items or fewer at some stores have also frustrated shoppers.
Could this affect Target’s sales or reputation?
Potentially, yes — the policy comes amid efforts to rebuild customer trust after declining foot traffic and leadership changes.