Target's Grocery Business Being Spoiled By Fewer Shoppers

Target Corp. has a problem in its grocery aisles: Shoppers aren’t visiting often enough to buy the retailer’s fresh meat, fruits and vegetables before they spoil.

Perishable foods, which usually are the big traffic drivers at most grocery stores, have been a drag on Target’s profits, according to people familiar with the matter. And in May, Target said customers were making fewer trips for smaller purchases. “We have seen some trip erosion with guests coming in for that fill-in trip,” CEO Brian Cornell said on a conference call

Lauren Shaber, who lives in Tualatin, Ore., said she visits Target once or twice a month for home décor, cleaning supplies and other merchandise. While there, she walks through the food aisles and picks up “whatever catches my eye,” the 24-year-old said. “But I don’t go out of my way to do grocery shopping at Target because there are so many other specialty stores.”

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