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Retailers remove 'psycho' outfits

Supermarket giants Asda and Tesco have been forced to apologise for selling fancy dress outfits called 'mental patient' and 'psycho ward'. Both retailers have removed the items.

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Campaigner: Asda 'crossed the line' on fancy dress outfit

A campaigner for the mental health charity Mind told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that Asda "crossed the line" after selling a 'mental patient' fancy dress costume.

Nine out of 10 people using mental health services in patient care report stigma and discrimination from a range of sources.

Stigma and discrimination is unfortunately still really damaging in England today and this kind of myth of the dangerousness posed by people, that you should be scared of anyone who has used mental health services, is really damaging.

(Asda) certainly crossed the line here and I hear it might well have been changed with the addition of mental patient, so it was definitely being used to tap into negative stereotypes.

– Sue Baker, campaigner for mental health charity Mind

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