People are furious that Target is ditching its iconic red pill bottles

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Bartosz Szyszka. From Flickr.

Target is ditching an element of its pharmacy business that is so iconic, it was once featured in New York's Museum of Modern Art.

The retailer's beloved red prescription bottles with color-coded rings have been scrapped as a result of CVS's takeover of Target's pharmacy business. And shoppers aren't pleased.

The Associated Press spoke with customers who were pouring new medications into old Target perscription bottles.

Others have taken to Twitter to express their displeasure.

—Charles G Hill (@dustbury) September 8, 2016 —Sarah Lundberg (@sarah_lundberg) June 14, 2016—Ophea (@mistressophea) June 7, 2016—ℳ (@madeleroi) May 10, 2016—Elias Kass (@dr_kass) May 14, 2016

Marshal Cohen, chief retail analyst with market researcher NPD Group, told the Associated Press that the switch may have convinced a small percentage of customers to shop elsewhere. 

Despite the outrage and associated media coverage, it doesn't look like Target has any immediate plans to switch back to the old, iconic bottle.  

@cvspharmacy why are you getting rid of the good parts of @targetpharmacy? #cvspharmacy #targetpharmacy #Ireallylikethosebottlesdammit

A photo posted by The Delicion (@thedelicion) on May 28, 2016 at 12:10pm PDTMay 28, 2016 at 12:10pm PDT

On Tuesday, the company replied to a disgruntled customer's tweet, saying the retailer is "currently looking at options for the next generation of prescription bottles to make medication adherence and instructions easier to understand for our patients."

Target did not respond to Business Insider's request for comment. 

Still, angry customers have continued to post about their outrage on social media.

—Sheeba Khan (@sheeba_k5) September 28, 2016

—Ted Picraux (@ShuttletrainTED) September 28, 2016—sean casey (@boringguy9) September 28, 2016

CVS opened its first pharmacy inside a Target in February, following CVS's $1.9 billion acquisition of Target’s pharmacy business. At the time, many worried that decreased competition could lead to higher prices for customers.

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