Shoprite, Pick n Pay pull TRESemmé products after hair ad backlash

The Shoprite group and Pick n Pay have confirmed that they will no longer stock TRESemmé products in their stores.

“We can confirm that TRESemme products have been removed from sale in our stores,” the media team told News24 in response to a media enquiry.

In a tweet from its official account, Pick n Pay also indicated it was removing the products. A Pick n Pay spokesperson confirmed the contents of the tweet to News24.

Hi, Given the recent concern about the language used by TRESemme their product line, we have decided to remove the products from our shelves while we engage with the supplier.— Pick n Pay (@PicknPay) September 9, 2020

On Tuesday, the Clicks retail group said it would delist and remove all TRESemmé products from its shelves with immediate effect and would replace them with locally sourced hair care brands.

It has also suspended all the employees involved in the advertising campaign that infuriated the EFF and led to nationwide protests on Monday.

This comes after the EFF targeted Clicks stores nationwide to protest against the hair advertisement, which described the hair of the two black women as “dry and damaged” and “frizzy and dull”, but the hair of two white women as “fine and flat” and “normal”.

Clicks said 425 stores in the country had been affected by the protests, but that it was too early to assess the nature of the damage caused by vandalism. Some stores were torched.

Clicks took a decision to close all its stores on Wednesday and then reopen on Thursday, News24 reported.

The decision by Clicks came after a Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg granted it an interdict against the EFF.

The health and beauty retailer said it will use Wednesday to engage directly with store staff across the country and provide counselling and support.

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