Finally, a UK supermarket is selling plasters in racially diverse skin tones
In a first for UK supermarkets, one retail giant has announced that they'll be selling plasters in more racially diverse skin tones from now on. Yep, let's all give a cheer for Tesco – who say they've made the decision based on customer demand and with the hope that others will soon follow suit. They will now sell plasters in three different shades, ranging from light to medium to dark.
This comes a few years after lingerie brands, such as Nubian Skin, set out to redefine what the colour "nude" means, by selling underwear in diverse skin tones for women of colour. Kahmune, an inclusive shoe brand, also did the same thing last year with heels – as, funnily enough, not everybody's skin tone matches the beige-y sort of "nude" that was previously often the only available option.
It's believed that the move from Tesco was inspired by a tweet that went viral in April last year, in which Twitter user Dominique Apollon shared how moved he was after finding a "band-aid in my own skin tone". It also echoes iconic make-up brands (hello Fenty Beauty, hi there Pür) who've pushed to make the beauty industry more inclusive, by stocking a wider variety of foundation shades.
It's taken me 45 trips around the sun, but for the first time in my life I know what it feels like to have a "band-aid" in my own skin tone. You can barely even spot it in the first image. For real I'm holding back tears. pic.twitter.com/GZR7hRBkJf
— Dominique Apollon (@ApollonTweets) April 19, 2019
In response to one a tweet about the plasters being a sign that "political correctness has gone mad" (*eye roll*), Tesco responded with:
"Thanks for raising your concerns with us and I'd like to reassure you our customers are at the heart of everything we do, we continually review our products to meet their needs.
As one of the largest retailers in the UK, we also understand that we have a responsibility to ensure our products reflect the diversity of our customers and colleagues. We believe the launch of our new skin tone plaster range is an important step and a move that we hope will be replicated by other retailers across the country."
We couldn't agree more. Who wants a plaster that sticks out like a sore thumb (pun partially intended) if you've cut your leg shaving? Or are trying to stop your new shoes from rubbing? Nice work, Tesco.
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