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US retail giants Target have spoken out amidst claims their decision to not stock Frank Ocean's album 'Channel Orange' is homophobic.

The claim was made at Target by Ocean's manager Christopher Clancy earlier this week. Revealing that the supermarket would not be putting the album on their shelves, Clancy said that he believed he decision was in keeping with Target's rumoured anti-LGBT stance.

Facing a PR firestorm, Target have come out today (July 12) to state that their decision was based on the fact that 'Channel Orange' was sold online before physically, and that the ban was company policy for albums of that nature.

"At Target, we focus on offering our guests a wide assortment of physical CDs, so our selection of new releases is dedicated to physical CDs rather than titles that are released digitally in advance of the street date," reads the statement.

A further denial was issued to Billboard, in which the company claim they have no issues with diversity. "The claims made about Target's decision to not carry the Frank Ocean album are absolutely false. Target supports inclusivity and diversity in every aspect of our business. Our assortment decisions are based on a number of factors, including guest demand."

"Target has a longstanding tradition of supporting music and artistry that reflects the diverse landscape of American culture. Our history of partnering with diverse artists includes recent partnerships with a variety of musicians, such as Ricky Martin, B.o.B., and Gloria Estefan."

'Channel Orange' is on course to chart highly in both the UK and US this week