Target Stores has devoted an entire page in their current national print ad campaign to “natural home choices,” featuring organic home textiles and recycled and/or natural home products. This national print ad comes the same week as shareholders gathered at Target’s annual shareholder meeting held yesterday in Cleveland, Ohio.
Eco issues were a focal point at this years meeting. HTT reported five shareholders each representing larger groups of shareholders raised concerns over the use of PVC in products and packaging.
Target executives reiterated their intention to assess and pursue alternatives to the pollutant.
The company offered examples of progress by saying they were looking into offering shower curtains made from ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) as well as cloth curtains. They also said they were looking at moving from plastic to corrugated packaging for some of their Target brand dinner ware products.
Target said they have requested vendors reduce the amount of packaging and use materials that are easily recyclable.
The focus on eco progress at the shareholders meeting is interesting especially in light of the increased presence of more eco-friendly products on store shelves. This fact appears not to have been a focal point of the meeting.
Target has increased its eco-friendly home textiles carrying full lines of organic kitchen and bath towels, two different eco bedding lines one fully organic cotton and one a 60/40 cotton/bamboo split. The company also has a highly successful relationship with household cleaning company Method and has introduced a new line of men’s personal care products that are eco-friendly called Every Man Jack. In addition Target has established relationships with other well-known brands such as Burt’s Bees.