Kmart has stripped a children’s bride costume from its shelves after a Melbourne mother launched a scathing petition, calling the item “beyond inappropriate”.
The costume could have been purchased for $6 and included a white wedding gown and headband with a veil for children between the ages of 4 and 6 – before it was pulled from sale on Tuesday afternoon.
The move came two days after Melbourne mum, Shannon B launched the petition on Change.org.
“Kmart Australia regrets the decision to range the bride costume,” a Kmart spokesperson told 7 News.
“It was not intended to cause offence and we sincerely apologise. We have made the decision to withdraw this product.”
The petition, which had 124 signatures, labelled the costume “offensive” and asked supporters to remind Kmart it had a “social responsibility” to uphold.
“Each year, 12 million children (girls as young as 6 years old — the same size as this ‘costume’) are sold or married off by their family without their consent. That’s one million child marriages per month!” Shannon wrote.
“That equates to 23 children every minute or 1 child every 2 minutes. If this continues, 150 million more children will be married by the year 2030.
“Child marriage means child abuse and torture in its worst forms — paedophilia, child rape, child slavery, child sex trafficking.
“Tell Kmart this is beyond inappropriate and offensive and that they have a social responsibility to pull this item off their shelves immediately.”
World Vision Australia confirmed the statistics shared were indeed correct.
“Anything that trivialises child marriage is disturbing” child rights campaigner Mercy Chipo Jumo said.
The big decision comes a week before Halloween, where children’s costumes will be sure to fly off department store racks.
