A Bullseye View. Behind the scenes at Target

car seat trade-in

As our guests increasingly look for products and experiences that are good for them, their families and the planet, we are making it easy to have a positive impact on the environment through trade-in programs.

featured content

Target car seat trade-in program text on gray background

when & where

The next car seat trade-in event is Sunday, September 9 through Saturday, September 22, 2018, at most stores (excluding small-format stores).

Find a participating store.

Bin of collected car seats at a Target store

Target will have drop-off boxes for guests’ unwanted car seats located near Guest Services.

Car seats can only be traded in at a Target store, however, the coupons picked up from Guest Services can be applied to both in-store and online purchases. The coupon is eligible through October 6, 2018.

coupon & trade-in details

Guests who trade in their old car seats will receive a 20 percent off coupon toward a new car seat, car seat base, travel system, stroller, and for the first time, select baby home gear, such as playards, high chairs, swings, rockers and bouncers.

Target will accept and recycle all types of car seats, including: infant car seats, convertible car seats, car seat bases, harness or booster car seats, as well as car seats that are expired or damaged.

Materials from the old car seats will be recycled by Target’s partner, Waste Management, to create new products such as pallets, plastic buckets and construction materials, such as steel beams and carpet padding.

infographic about car seat program
Our Target guests often tell us they’re looking for sustainable ways to dispose of their old, outgrown car seats. Turns out, it’s not so easy. Some big obstacles:
Car seats are not eligible for most curbside recycling programs.
Used seats shouldn’t be sold or given away, since they expire every six years and regulations change constantly.
If a car seat’s been in an accident or is in less than perfect condition, it needs to be replaced immediately.
That means a lot of used car seats end up in the trash. Bummer.
Target wanted to make things easier, so back in 2016, we invited guests to bring used seats to their local Target store and get a great deal on a new one. Since then …
We’ve held six trade-in recycling events (big and small) at our stores so far.       
We’ve collected 306,000 car seats and recycled them into new products.
That’s 4.6 million pounds of materials diverted from landfills.       
And that’s just the beginning. How much more waste can we save during this month’s event?
One thing’s for sure: Each car seat guests recycle equals one fewer that’s headed for a landfill … and that adds up to a BIG impact for the planet!

good to know

  • Target introduced its first car seat trade-in program in April 2016.
  • Since the program launched, more than 306,000 car seats have been recycled.
  • To date, through trade-in programs, Target has recycled more than 4.6 million pounds of materials.