Tesco has become the first supermarket in the UK to sell plasters in a range of skin tones.
The own-brand products come in light, medium and dark shades and are available in all 741 stores nationwide and online from today (24 February) for £1 ($1.29).
The supermarket was inspired to launch the range after an employee highlighted a tweet that went viral last year, in which Dominique Apollon - the vice-president of research at non-profit organisation Race Forward - said he was 'holding back tears' as he wore a plaster that matched his skin tone for the first time.
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Tesco accelerated its plaster range through development and the final design was tested by its black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) network.
The chair of the network, Paulette Balson, said: "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.
"Through our research, 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."
Nicola Robinson, health, beauty and wellness director at Tesco, said she anticipates other supermarkets across the country will follow suit.
She said: "As one of the largest retailers in the UK, we understand that we have a responsibility to ensure our products reflect the diversity of our customers and colleagues.
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"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."
Currently there are very few places in the UK where you can buy plasters in a range of skin tones. Boots sells clear plasters, which can be used on all skin colours, while online alternatives tend to be relatively expensive.
Featured Image Credit: Tesco
