SUPERMARKET CHAINS TESCO and Asda have apologised for any offence caused by Halloween costumes they stocked and have subsequently withdrawn.
The two retailers came up against criticism over the costumes on Twitter and from mental health organisation MIND, which described Tesco’s ‘psycho ward’ and Asda’s ‘mental patient’ outfits as “staggeringly offensive”.
In response, Asda made a public apology to its Twitter followers yesterday for the ‘mental patient’ costume which included fake blood and a meat cleaver:
A spokesperson said Asda takes it “responsibilities very seriously which is why we will make a sizeable donation to MIND”.
Tesco, which had offered the ‘psycho ward’ costume pictured above online, followed suit by removing it from sale and saying it was “really sorry”.
MIND’s Sue Baker, said the organisation hopes “this will urge Asda, Tesco and other retailers and manufacturers to review their processes and consider taste and decency on mental health grounds, to avoid fuelling stigma and discrimination that are so damaging for large numbers of the population”.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
have your say