Tesco has come under fire from students at the University of Kent for selling a new card which the students claim “trivialises sexual harrassment”.
The greetings card, on sale in Tesco – the UK’s biggest supermarket – was criticised by Kent Labour Students for its portrayal of women and sexual harrassment on Twitter yesterday (May 8).
The card, priced at £1.50, shows a female answering a phone and typing at a typewriter, with a message that reads: “Glenys had heard all about sexual harassment in the workplace and deliberately wore a short dress with a plunging neckline to ensure she didn’t miss out.”
In a direct tweet sent to Tesco UK’s main Twitter account, Kent Labour Students said: “Kent Labour Student’s appalled at @UKTesco for selling a card that trivialises sexual harassment and women’s equality.”
One Labour student Bex Bailey, from Nottingham said in a series of tweets sent to Tesco: “You are showing utter disregard for the thousands of women (incl. your customers) who suffer from sexual harassment every day.
“By making a joke of it you portray sexual harassment as not being a big deal…
“…discouraging victims of sexual harassment to come forward and making men think that such behaviour is acceptable.”
Ashley Wise, Kent student and KLS member, tweeted Tesco: “It suggests women invite sexual harassment because of what they wear.”
Tesco responded to the Kent Labour Students tweet, stating that while “the subject matter is serious”, the “card is knowingly a joke that many find humorous.”
The retailer confirmed that comments from KLS and other students would be passed on to head office.
Meanwhile, one Twitter user, Helena Dollimore (@gingersocialist) has started a petition asking Tesco to stop selling the card.
