Why are Target stores staff sharing early-morning shelf label photos on social media? ‘I feel bad doing all these…’

Prices ar climbing fasting at Target, and employees are taking to social media to show just how steep the hikes are. Target store staff are sharing early-morning shelf label photos on social media, showing big price hikes. One Target employee wrote on Reddit, “I feel bad doing all these price changes when everything goes up.” Another added, “I've been doing price change everyday for the past 4 months or so. Seeing everything going up all at once is really making me sad.”

In one post, a worker showed a Paw Patrol toy that was $51.99 on May 29 and jumped to $101.99 by June 7—a 96 percent increase. Another post revealed a box of Monster Energy drinks rising from $15.59 to $24.99, a nearly 38 percent jump, as per Daily Mail report.

These price hikes come as retailers struggle with inflation. Still, the changes aren’t completely surprising. Earlier this year, Target’s CEO and others warned that tariffs from President Trump would drive up prices on many consumer items.

Since then, more employees have posted labels online. In mid-May, a staffer shared a Heyday USB-C cable price label changing from $9.99 to $17.99—an 80 percent increase.

Experts say price increases reflect careful planning, not just sticker shock. Retailers like Target use pricing data and competitive tools to avoid losing customers.

Carol Spieckerman, president of Spieckerman Retail, said “Price changes are a constant in retail and shouldn't be assumed to be nefarious. If Target is over-stepping or gouging, it will feel the pain quickly. Shoppers are smart and do research,” as cited by Daily Mail report.

Still, these changes are worrying Target employees, who are also voicing concerns about the store’s direction and declining profits.

Other big retailers are seeing similar reactions. Walmart employees are posting screenshots from handheld scanners, showing thousands of price updates each week. “Lately my section has been getting 5,000 to 9,000 a week,” one Walmart worker said, noting a 40 to 50 percent rise in changes.

Also Read: Two popular products at Walmart recalled: What to know

The trend is even hitting the auto industry. At Ford and BMW dealerships, leaked memos show MSRP hikes over $1,000. Subaru, Toyota, and Mitsubishi have also announced price increases.

Unlike retailers, automakers are more upfront about cost changes—but that openness can bring trouble. Companies that blamed tariffs have faced criticism from the Trump administration. In May, Walmart CEO Doug McMillon warned that prices would rise because of tariffs—a comment that drew Trump's ire: “Walmart should STOP trying to blame Tariffs as the reason for raising prices throughout the chain.”

Amazon briefly thought about listing tariff costs on product pages, but White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt called it a “hostile and political act.” Now, both Walmart and Amazon have quietly raised prices without explanation.

Customers should expect more price increases ahead. Spieckerman suggests that items like toys—where profit margins are thin—will see fluctuating prices. “They're definitely a tariff-sensitive category that is in high demand for the holidays,” she noted. “I expect prices will rise and fall based on aggressive promotions.”

For workers on the front lines, this means more shelf label updates—and lots of shoppers wondering why prices have suddenly jumped.

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