Why people are furious over this shopping trolley
One of the UK’s biggest supermarket chains has come under fire after a photo of one of their trolleys went viral on Twitter.
Now, you’re probably (rightfully) thinking, “It’s a trolley, what could possibly be the problem?” Well, some social media users have criticised the new safety label on Tesco’s trolleys, dubbing them “sexist” as they only show a woman doing the shopping with her child in tow.
“Tesco, is it only women who do the food shopping and look after the kids?” a Manchester woman wrote on Twitter, with the hashtag #everydaysexism.
Her tweet sparked a huge debate online, with many agreeing the retailer should have chosen gender-neutral figures.
“It is not the trolley that’s sexist, it’s Tesco who thinks women are the only ones in a family who shops with kids,” one person replied.
“The idea that shopping trolleys should be gendered in any way seems ridiculous,” Samantha Rennie, executive director of equality group Rosa UK Fund for Women and Girls told the Daily Mail.
“It’s a seemingly small factor that plays a role in reinforcing stereotypical ideas of the woman being responsible for the weekly food shop.”
Matt O’Connor from the campaign group Fathers4Justice agreed, adding, “Tesco needs to stop this gender apartheid.”
Others, however, have slammed the Manchester woman, labelling her overly sensitive and claiming the outrage was completely unnecessary.
“Grow up this is so pathetic,” one Twitter user wrote. “It’s a picture on a shopping trolley. There are MUCH more important things in the world going on.”
However, reports suggest Tesco has taken on the feedback and is currently in the process of changing the labels to include non-gendered icons.