// Tesco introduces plaster range to suit different skin colours
// The plasters are sold in light, medium and dark shades
// Tesco acknowledged the initiative as an “important step”
Tesco has launched a range of plasters to match different skin tones in a bid to pressure other retailers into following suit.
The plasters are sold in light, medium and dark shades, and are on sale in all 741 Tesco stores nationwide as well as online.
Tesco, which has claimed to be the first UK retailer to introduce this initiative, acknowledged it as an “important step” and has now called on rivals to introduce an ethnically diverse set of plasters.
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The grocer developed the plasters after a member of staff spotted a tweet last year that showed a black man from the US expressing an emotional response to using a plaster that matched his skin tone.
The tweet became viral and prompted heaps of responses from other Twitter users, highlighting the significance of representative plaster tones is for those in BAME communities.
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
The development of the new plasters was also supported by the “BAME at Tesco” internal colleague network.
The BAME at Tesco network aims to make a positive impact on colleagues and customers by raising awareness of diversity, culture and inclusion within Tesco.
“No UK supermarket had ever stocked plasters in a range of skin tones before and we saw this as an opportunity for Tesco to lead the charge and make a genuine difference,” Tesco network BAME chair Paulette Balson said.
“Through our research within the network, we know how emotive a product like this can be.
“For example, one colleague reported that their child had felt self-conscious wearing a plaster on their face to school recently, because it didn’t match their skin tone and stood out.”
Tesco health, beauty & wellness director Nicola Robinson said: “Our customers are at the heart of everything we do and we continually review our products and services to best meet their needs.”
“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 and supermarkets across the country.”
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