Target was just caught red-handed raising prices just so it could advertise a fake sale.
In a Reddit post shared to r/mildlyinfuriating, people recognized a familiar pattern: stores quietly inflating prices before slapping on a “deal” tag to make shoppers feel like they’re saving money.
The customer posted a photo of chocolate bars that had recently jumped in price before being marked down for a so-called promotion.
Photo Credit: Reddit
“I caught Target marking up their price just so they could offer a ‘sale,'” the user wrote, showing a $3.39 item suddenly priced at $4.59 and then “discounted” to $3.67.
“These companies assume consumers are stupid, forgetful, and easy to trick,” one commenter wrote, emphasizing how money-grabbing tactics actually just erode customer trust.
Some commenters noted that this tactic appears to roll out around major shopping events, especially Black Friday, when customers expect deals.
“Yes there are the few gimmick items that really are an unbelievable price (though always in very limited quantity) but the majority of the stuff is marked up the days and weeks before Black Friday so that the ‘deal’ is the standard price or in some cases higher than the standard price,” said one commenter.
These frustrations echo concerns raised in previous reporting on questionable retail practices.
Target employees have been caught throwing away brand-new dolls as part of store policy, fueling debates about waste and transparency. Grocery shoppers also pay more for “grab-and-go” salads, which can be made by buying fresh produce for way cheaper. And shoppers at Five Below have similarly accused retailers of using manipulative signage that induces FOMO to “brainwash” customers into impulse buying.
These tactics all contribute to unnecessary waste. When shoppers buy items only because they appear to be discounted, products often go unused and eventually end up in landfills. Combined with deceptive in-store marketing and unnecessary packaging, misleading prices become part of a broader pattern of wasteful corporate behavior.
When consumers can’t trust their stores, they’re forced to constantly double-check or take their business elsewhere.
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