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| Asda 'mental patient' costume withdrawn from sale online | Asda 'mental patient' costume withdrawn from sale online |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Asda has apologised and withdrawn a Halloween outfit it was selling online as a "mental patient fancy dress costume", following criticism. | Asda has apologised and withdrawn a Halloween outfit it was selling online as a "mental patient fancy dress costume", following criticism. |
| The £20 item included clothing covered in fake blood, a mask and an imitation meat cleaver. | |
| The store offered "sincere apologies for the offence it has caused". | The store offered "sincere apologies for the offence it has caused". |
| It said the sale had been a "completely unacceptable error" and it would be making a "very sizeable donation" to the mental health charity Mind. | It said the sale had been a "completely unacceptable error" and it would be making a "very sizeable donation" to the mental health charity Mind. |
| In a statement, Asda, which is owned by US retail giant Walmart, added: "It should never have been sold and it was withdrawn as soon as it was brought to our attention." | In a statement, Asda, which is owned by US retail giant Walmart, added: "It should never have been sold and it was withdrawn as soon as it was brought to our attention." |
| It is understood the costume had been on sale through Asda's clothing outlet George for two days, before being withdrawn from sale on Wednesday morning after being spotted internally. | |
| But it remained on display on the supermarket's website and disappeared only following the criticism on Twitter. | |
| Katie Dalton, of Welsh mental health charity Gofal, wrote on Twitter: "Dear @asda, how on earth did you come to the conclusion that this is an appropriate fancy dress costume? Disgraceful." | |
| And former Downing Street director of communications, Alastair Campbell, who has written about his experiences with mental health issues, tweeted: "Look what Asda's selling... what possesses these people?" | |
| The internet link to the website page where the product was being sold carried the description "zombie fancy dress costume". | |
| But the product was titled "mental patient fancy dress costume" on the page itself. | |
| The product description read: "Everyone will be running away from you in fear in this mental patient fancy dress costume.... it's a terrifying Halloween option." |