Target now aims to make all of its owned brand packaging recyclable by 2035.
The retailer noted the updated packaging goal in its 2026 sustainability and governance report posted last week. Target previously sought to make all of its own brand packaging recyclable, compostable or reusable by 2025, ultimately meeting that threshold for just 41% of packaging.
The company launched its Target Forward sustainability strategy in 2021. The retailer flagged late last year that it was rethinking its packaging goals and anticipated missing certain 2025 sustainability targets. In its new 2026 report, the company also restated certain fiscal year 2023 and 2024 data on these metrics “to account for updates to our calculation methodology.”
Beyond packaging, Target also delayed targets for reducing overall and scope 3 emissions.
| Packaging metric | FY2023 | FY2024 | FY2025* |
| Percentage owned brand packaging that is recyclable, compostable or reusable | 39% | 41% | 41% |
| Total weight of plastic packaging (metric tons) | 69,632 | 63,044 | 60,233 |
| PCR (metric tons) | 6,032 | 6,285 | 5,627 |
| Percentage of plastic in owned brand packaging that is PCR | 9% | 10% | 9% |
| Percentage of recycled content in plastic bags | 40% | 40% | 40% |
*Target’s 2026 report covers fiscal year 2025, the period between Feb. 2, 2025, and Jan. 31, 2026.
Target had aimed to reduce the total virgin plastic used annually in its owned brand packaging by 20% from a 2020 baseline. As of 2025, there was just a 3% reduction.
Target cited “regulations, supply chain constraints and changing industry measurement, as well as new owned brand categories and increased sales since our baseline” as factors in not reaching the goal. The company expects “materials innovation” and “circular design principles” will be catalysts going forward.
Lightweighting is one area where Target is gaining traction. In its report, Target noted that in recent years it has decreased the total weight of plastic packaging it uses and gave the example of its Spritz party supplies brand. In 2025, the company redesigned structural packaging and removed shrink film and decorative components to eliminate roughly 277,000 pounds of plastic packaging.
Other 2025 packaging efforts that Target highlighted included removing carbon black colorant from PET trays used for bakery, deli, cracker cut cheese and fresh mushroom packaging for its owned food brands. Target said this change made roughly 431,000 pounds of packaging “more compatible with existing recycling systems.”
Target says it’s expanding its refillable product offerings, reaching 280 total in its essential and beauty items, including a new concentrated cleaner under its Everspring brand.
Target is one of multiple major brand owners and retailers to reevaluate packaging sustainability goals after 2025. Competitor Walmart also struggled to meet 2025 packaging sustainability targets for its private label offerings.
