Target has apologised after facing widespread criticism for selling a children's Halloween costume that customers said resembled racist minstrel-era caricatures of black people. The £25 (approximately $25) "Circus Clown Halloween Costume" was pictured on a black child in the retailer's marketing, prompting social media users to point out its resemblance to depictions of the minstrel character Jim Crow, a legacy of 1830s performances in which white entertainers blacked their faces to mock enslaved Africans.

Following intense backlash, Target issued a statement on Monday saying it "got this wrong" and had removed the costume from sale, acknowledging the harm caused to black customers, staff and partners. The apology failed to satisfy critics, who accused the company of avoiding terms like investigation and accountability, and questioned how the product passed internal approval. The row comes amid weak sales for Target and follows earlier criticism of the chain for scaling back its diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, with one Minneapolis business leader suggesting the incident was a direct consequence of that rollback.