Target Apologizes After Selling Short in Supply N95 Face Masks on Seattle Shelves
Click here to read the full article.
Target Corp. apologized Saturday after N95 masks — which are in short supply at hospitals across the country — were made available for purchase at some Seattle units.
According to Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, members of his staff intervened Saturday after learning that masks were being sold on Target shelves. Inslee said that “those masks are now on their way to the health care workers who desperately need them.”
More from Footwear News
Pressure to Cancel Tokyo Olympics Mounts on Dramatic Spike in Coronavirus Cases
Walmart Boosts Warehouse Worker Pay as Coronavirus Sparks Surge in Grocery Demand
How Fashion Companies Can Effectively Manage Cash Flow Amid Coronavirus Disruptions
We heard reports that a @target in Seattle was selling n95 masks.
My staff and others stepped in.
Those masks are now on their way to the health care workers who desperately need them. https://t.co/7sCM5kqyfs
— Governor Jay Inslee (@GovInslee) March 21, 2020
Target said it was removing all masks from shelves and donating them to the Washington State Department of Health. The Minneapolis-based retailer added that it would also review its inventory for additional masks to donate.
“Target’s commitment to communities is unwavering & we apologize,” the company wrote in a tweet.
Today in select Seattle stores, N95 masks were available for purchase in error. We’re removing & donating them to the WA State Dept. of Health. We’re also reviewing inventory for additional masks to be donated. Target’s commitment to communities is unwavering & we apologize.
— Target (@Target) March 21, 2020
The coronavirus crisis has caused an international shortage of N95 masks, with doctors and nurses having to, in some cases, reuse their masks against CDC guidelines. Some doctors and nurses in the U.S. have had to resort to using bandanas or scarves — a measure the CDC advises as a last resort. High-end fashion designer Christian Siriano has his sewing team making masks to address the shortage in New York. And in France, luxury conglomerate LVMH has ordered 40 million masks from China as it seeks to help end the coronavirus pandemic; the Louis Vuitton parent has also shifted its cosmetics operations to focus on manufacturing hand sanitizer, another item that is in short supply.
Internationally, more than 315,000 people have contracted the novel coronavirus, and over 13,400 have died, according to Johns Hopkins. Within the United States, confirmed coronavirus cases have risen to more than 26,700, with at least 323 dead.
Want more?
These 6 Popular Shoe Brands Can be Sanitized to Safeguard Against the Coronavirus
Best of Footwear News
These Theories About How Black Friday Got Started Will Surprise You
A Look Back at Iconic Department Stores That Went Out of Business
6 Shoe Companies That Have Gone Bankrupt in the Past Year — & How They're Faring Now
Sign up for FN's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
