Retail giant Argos are being accused of racism after it was recently discovered that the store are selling the white doll of the same brand at £10 more than the black or Asian counterparts of the same brand.
The dolls, made by French company Corolle, are sold in three different packages – the white doll Maria which costs £34.99, the Asian doll Yang, and the black doll Naima, which are both priced at £24.99.
The price difference was first noted by a mother, who told The Sun newspaper:
“It’s unacceptable for children to think white is better or more desirable.
“It’s wrong for our youngster to grow up thinking non-white skin colours are worth less.”
The mother outlined in the newspaper article how she had been so offended by the apparent racism, that she purchased a different doll than originally planned and sent a letter of complaint to the store.
The Argos in question responded with an apology. The chain are now investigating the pricing structure of the dolls, but have released a statement to address concerns:
“As a responsible retailer, Argos strongly refutes any suggestion of discrimination with the pricing of the Corolle Calin dolls. A genuine online pricing error led to one of the dolls being advertised at an incorrect price. This error is being amended today and all three dolls are now priced at £24.99. We apologise for any confusion caused.”
The dolls are currently not stocked in the Republic of Ireland.
Images via Independent UK
