Have you ever walked through a store looking for someone who can help, only to realize you have no idea who actually works there?
It can be even more frustrating when employees are dressed similarly to the customers around them. A shopper may spend several minutes searching for assistance simply because the person stocking a shelf or walking down an aisle doesn’t immediately appear to be a member of the store’s staff.
Now, Target is taking a new approach to the problem with style.
The change comes as the company invests hundreds of millions of dollars in its stores and employees.
Target gives grocery employees a new look
Target (TGT) is requiring employees in its food and beverage departments to wear branded hats or visors and aprons during their shifts beginning Nov. 1, according to a company memo reported by Bloomberg News. The new apparel will feature Good & Gather, Target’s private-label food brand.
The change is intended to make employees easier for shoppers to identify, particularly in the grocery area, so customers can more quickly find team members who can answer questions or provide assistance.
A Target spokesperson told Bloomberg that the new apparel is designed to be functional and distinctive as the retailer works to improve the guest experience.
The new grocery attire will complement Target’s broader employee dress code. Earlier this year, the retailer updated its companywide Team Colors guidelines, which call for employees to wear sleeved red tops or vests, blue denim or khaki bottoms, and clothing with minimal non-Target logos.
Target has also expanded the clothing options available to employees through Collection186, an assortment of red and khaki apparel from Target-owned brands. The collection recently included a limited-edition Design Drop inspired by Isaac Mizrahi, the retailer’s creative director at large.
The company offers employees an additional 20% discount on adult apparel and accessories from its owned brands, a free red shirt, and a one-time coupon for 50% off owned-brand denim.
Target is putting more employees on the sales floor
The new grocery dress code is part of a broader effort to improve the in-store experience.
In September, Target said in a company announcement that it had invested hundreds of millions of dollars in additional payroll in 2026 to improve store coverage, execution, and guest-facing services.
The retailer is also testing new staffing levels in categories that involve frequent or interactive customer exchanges, including Food and Beverage, Apparel and Accessories, and Target Beauty Studio.
Target said the goal is to put more employees in the right areas at the right times while focusing on three standards for the shopping experience: making stores easy to shop, inspiring through product presentation and interactions, and creating a friendly environment.
The company also reported that guest satisfaction metrics reached a three-year high during the first quarter of 2026.
Grocery is an important part of that effort. During its second-quarter 2026 earnings call, Target said it transformed nearly half of its center-store grocery experience, adding more space for fresh food, snacks, bakery products, and emerging categories. The company reported that snack sales increased 15% year over year during the period.
Bloomberg / Getty Images
Target’s New Chapter of Growth
The employee and store investments are part of Target’s broader New Chapter of Growth strategy, introduced earlier this year.
Target plans to make an incremental $2 billion investment in 2026, including more than $1 billion in additional capital expenditures and another $1 billion in operating investments.
The company said the strategy focuses on stores, employees, technology, merchandise, and overall guest experience.
“This work is underway, and by putting style, design and value at the center of every decision, we’re making big changes to lead with a trend-forward assortment, elevate the guest experience, accelerate with technology and equip our teams to deliver the most delightful experience in retail, for today and over the long term,” Target CEO Michael Fiddelke said when the company announced the strategy.
Target is also simplifying store systems and introducing technology intended to give employees more time to help customers rather than completing administrative tasks.
Target reports stronger sales and traffic
Target’s efforts to improve its stores come as the retailer reports signs of improvement in sales and customer traffic.
During the second quarter of fiscal 2026, Target reported a 5.3% year-over-year increase in net sales and a 3.8% rise in comparable sales. Comparable traffic also climbed 3.6%.
Target has also continued emphasizing value, saying it reduced prices on more than 10,000 items over the previous year.
Food & Beverage and Beauty posted high single-digit growth, according to the company. Digital comparable sales rose 8.7%, while store comparable sales increased 2.7%.
Here’s some of my previous coverage on Target:
- Target announces major changes across 130 U.S. stores
- Target announces plan to solve a growing customer problem
- Target adds an unexpected big brand partner
For the full year, the retailer expects net sales to grow by approximately 5%, an improvement from its previous guidance.
The new grocery uniforms are a relatively small change compared with Target’s broader investments, but they support the retailer’s effort to make its stores easier to navigate, improve employee coverage, and help customers find assistance more quickly.
Related: Target changes a signature part of its stores after 64 years
