'I was SO devastated': Why shoppers are upset with Target's Christmas range

If you walked into Target this season expecting shelves of charming Christmas decorations, you may have felt something was missing.

Instead of the beloved festive ranges that once made the chain stand out, shoppers are now greeted with Kmart’s Anko brand.

For many Australians, the sparkle of Christmas shopping at Target has dimmed.

For decades, Target carved out a unique place in the Christmas market, offering decorations that balanced affordability with quality.

Shoppers could rely on designs that looked stylish without breaking the bank, and many built collections over the years.

That changed in 2024 when Target replaced its Christmas range with Anko products—sparking outrage that has continued into Christmas 2025.

Each festive season since the switch, customers have taken to social media to express their frustration.

Gold Coast mum Chelsea Bennett summed it up in a viral video: ‘Just wondering what we did to deserve Target ditching their Christmas range and giving us Anko? Three years without Target Christmas decor and it is still devastating.’

Her post drew thousands of comments from Australians mourning the loss of Target’s once-reliable offerings.

Some saw the change as more than just sentimentality—it was about quality.

One shopper wrote: ‘Anko is excellent value and quite reliable, but they are not quality products. The bigger issue here is that you now have less choice. Kmart or Kmart.’

For loyal customers, the biggest heartbreak has been the inability to complete existing decoration sets.

Families who had collected matching stockings and ornaments over years suddenly found themselves unable to add to their displays.

As one customer noted, ‘It's just so sad seeing people having to post up their stockings for sale because they couldn't find the additional letter that they need.’

The financial impact was revealed during the 2024 post-Christmas sales.

At Target Knox, Anko Christmas trees originally priced at $129 were cleared out for just $10, suggesting stock simply did not move at full price.

‘This will be below cost, but clearing them at $10 is still better than literally putting them in a skip, or warehousing them until next year. They'll just buy 20% less next year,’ one bargain hunter said.

For many Australians, this confirmed what they already knew—Target’s decision was not resonating with customers.

Once a go-to for ‘accessible quality’ Christmas pieces, the store had abandoned what made it special.

‘I'm genuinely devastated by the change. target had the BEST mid range homewares ,’ lamented one shopper, while another said: ‘Every year I look forward to new target Christmas items I was SO devastated when I heard they were doing anko Christmas .’

The change came from parent company Wesfarmers’ decision to merge Target with Kmart, insisting customers would still be satisfied.

Yet the ongoing backlash has shown the opposite, with many shoppers accusing the company of erasing choice in favour of consolidation.

Other retailers have since stepped in to fill the gap.

Bed Bath N’ Table and Adairs offer high-quality coordinated collections, TK Maxx provides discounted branded decorations, and Big W has expanded its mid-tier offerings.

Still, none have quite recreated the niche Target once held.

For older Australians, the shift represents more than lost shopping options—it feels like the loss of tradition.

Social media posts even mocked the change with videos set to horror movie music when shoppers stumbled upon Anko ranges at Target.

As Christmas 2025 approaches, the frustration shows no sign of fading.

Target has not brought back its old festive designs, and clearance sales suggest the strategy is still struggling financially.

The future of its Christmas range now depends on whether the company listens to its customers or continues down the path of sameness.

If Target’s switch to Anko left you feeling disappointed about Christmas shopping, you’re not alone in noticing how festive traditions at the shops have been changing.

Even the way stores put up their Christmas displays has become a hot topic, with many shoppers debating whether the holiday magic is being replaced by marketing tactics.

If you’d like to see another example of how festive shopping habits are shifting, this next story dives into the controversy over when and how stores bring out their Christmas stock.

Read more: Christmas displays have Aussie shoppers divided: Why your wallet might be the real victim

Will Target ever bring back the festive magic that once made it a Christmas favourite, or has that sparkle been lost forever?