MINNEAPOLIS — Target announced Wednesday that it is extending its return policy on select items to one year, effective immediately.

The new policy applies to all of Target’s 32 private label brands such as Archer Farms, Liz Lange, Merona, Mossimo and Threshold. Items purchased for wedding, baby and college gift registries also are included.

The consumer-friendly announcement came at a time when Target has been saddled with bad news, including the closing of Target Canada stores, the recent layoffs of 1,700 employees and elimination of even more posted jobs.

Target is looking to gain customers’ trust after the breach, said Edgar Dworsky, founder of Consumerworld.org, which tracks retailers’ return policies.

“It’s a bit reminiscent of Costco’s liberal return policy,” he said. “It certainly is an unusual move.”

The only private labels excluded from the policy are the temporary design collections, including the highly anticipated Lilly Pulitzer collection that will launch April 19. Items in that collection will have a 14-day return policy.

Dworsky doesn’t expect many consumers will take advantage of the longer return policy, but knowing it is in place will create goodwill. Fewer than 5 percent of consumers take advantage of price match policies put in place by Target, Wal-Mart and Best Buy, according to the NPD Group, but they still like having them.

Details of the extended return program will be similar to the current 90-day policy. If a customer doesn’t have a receipt, the purchase can be verified if it was bought with a credit or debit card, gift card or check. Target will be more accommodating on returns without a receipt on store brand items, said spokesman Erika Winkels.

“We’ve informed our teams to be flexible in allowing unreceipted returns,” she said. She wouldn’t provide specifics on how many returns that meant.