According to CNN, Target stores will never open again on Thanksgiving as of this year.
The outlet reported that Target stores were closed last year on Thanksgiving due to the COVID-19 pandemic and had already announced it would close this Thanksgiving.
“What started as a temporary measure driven by the pandemic is now our new standard,” Target CEO Brian Cornell said in a note to employees.
Cornell also said that he decided to make the policy permanent after taking a trip to Target stores last week in New York and New Jersey, where workers expressed their gratitude for staying home on Thanksgiving.
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The COVID-19 pandemic forced many other chains to close their stores on Thanksgiving last year, including Walmart, Best Buy, and Dick’s Sporting Goods. The companies are set to close again on this year’s Thanksgiving, despite none of them having made permanent changes to their Thanksgiving policies.
Target’s announcement was a massive adjustment to holiday shopping. Previously, the holiday period only lasted a few days, where retailers would see a large influx of shoppers. However, in recent years, stores have started to expand the length of their deals and events to be spread out across the season. In turn, this allows them to avoid a rush of demand, which can cause a strain on their stores, employees, and delivery networks.
This year, retailers have decided to have their deals earlier than ever to get ahead of supply chain issues and limit the extent of empty shelves.
Over the recent years, the pressure forced on retailers by the public to advocate for them to close on Thanksgiving has decreased. Workers’ rights groups have chosen to fight different problems such as minimum wage, benefits, and scheduling.
