Supermarkets withdraw "staggeringly offensive" costumes after outcry over mental health insensitivity
UK retailers have withdrawn controversial costumes from sale following criticism on social media.
The costumes attracted a number of complaints for being insensitive to people with mental health problems.
Asda, owned by US company Walmart, received the bulk of the criticism - via the social media site Twitter - over its sale of a ‘mental patient costume’.
Among the critics was ex-footballer Stan Collymore, who has suffered from depression. He criticised Asda for stereotyping the condition.
He Tweeted: "Do you actually realise how many people are hanging themselves because of being frightened of the stigma?"
The costume which was selling for 20 pounds, came with fake blood, a plastic knife and face mask.
Retailer Tesco which was selling a costume entitled ‘Psycho Ward’ has also withdrawn its product in the wake of the backlash.
A spokesman for Asda said:"[The costume] should never have been sold and it was withdrawn as soon as it was brought to our attention.
"We're deeply sorry one of our fancy dress costumes has upset people."
Asda has also pledged to make “a very sizeable donation” to the mental health charity Mind.
Sue Baker, Director of Time to Change, England's biggest anti-stigma campaign, run by Mind and Rethink Mental Illness, said:“Asda and Tesco have shown themselves to be extremely misguided with their ‘mental health patient’ and ‘psycho ward’ fancy dress costumes.
“It is staggeringly offensive to the one in four of us affected by mental health problems and our families and friends, and troubling that some businesses are still so out of touch with the public mood.
“However, it is encouraging to see the groundswell of outcry on Twitter and that our voices are being heard. We hope 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.”
