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Tesco Is About To Launch Band-Aids In Diverse Skin Tones After Being Encouraged By Its Employees
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Tesco Is About To Launch Band-Aids In Diverse Skin Tones After Being Encouraged By Its Employees

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If your skin is white, you probably have never even thought about why most band-aids are beige. The reason behind this color choice is that band-aids are not only intended to cover your bruises and wounds⁠—their purpose is also to hide them. For this reason, band-aids should blend in with your skin. That’s something black and Asian people know well. Why, you may wonder? Because there are still too few options for band-aids that suit darker skin tones.

More info: tesco.com

Recently, Tesco introduced band-aids that comes in 3 different skin tones

Image credits: tesco

Sure, not everyone cares if the band-aid matches their skin.
That’s why so many of us opt for blue-colored band-aids or even yellow. Some of us even grab children’s ones and cover ourselves with fun and colorful plasters. But you know what? It’s always nice to have a choice, but not all of us have it yet. So, to change that, Tesco, a supermarket chain in the UK, is releasing band-aids that come in 3 different skin tones. And it’s “about bloody time,” as their slogan says.

Image credits: tesco

The idea to make these band-aids belongs to one of Tesco’s employees who noticed a viral tweet from a black man who, for the first time, at the age of 45, found a band-aid to match his skin tone.

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Image credits: tesco

The emotional tweet quickly went viral, as many people could relate to the issue.
Tesco acknowledged the need for more diverse band-aids (more commonly known as plasters in the UK) and became the first supermarket in the UK to do so.

Image credits: tesco

“No UK supermarket had ever stocked plasters in a range of skin tones before and we saw this as an opportunity for Tesco to lead the charge and make a genuine difference,” said Paulette Balson, chairwoman of the BAME (black, Asian and minority ethnic) at Tesco network.

Not only does the supermarket aim to provide items that are valuable to its clients, but they also hope that other retailers will follow their lead in being more diverse.

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“We believe the launch of our new skin tone plaster range is an important step and a move that we hope will be replicated by other retailers and supermarkets across the country,” said Nicola Robinson, health, beauty, and wellness director at Tesco.

Image credits: tesco

These soft and durable band-aids come in a box of 40 and cost £1. They are available in three different shades: light, medium, and dark.

Here’s how people reacted

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Martha Meyer
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Call me dumb but I never realized plasters are supposed to be skin tone. The beige ones are too dark for my skin. Good idea to produce them in different skin colours!

NMN
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Same thing, the ones I had usually were too pink or a weird dark yellow, but never cared about it. I understand if there are people that do care and want skin color ones and different tones.

Load More Replies...
LittleMissLotus
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is a great idea, why are people getting so worked up over different colored band aids? If they offend you that much, just don't buy them

Cat
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The latest band aids I bought have Disney characters on them and it made me laugh even when I cut my finger lol

Maryse Faucher
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Personally find it good for kids or anyone concious of band aids being visible. I need to use plaster offen on my fingers and making a visible statement don''t bother me anymore. That's the thing it used to bug me and with all the virus or possible infection from open wounds. Inclusion in safety matter too, just like in tight

XianJaguar
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

In hindsight, I'm wondering why no one thought of this before! It seems so obvious now. I hope more companies do this.

Michelle Chevalier
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I really didn't know this was an issue...is the world really that sensitive?? Maybe I didn't notice since all my band-aids have Spongebob on them.

Viviane
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Some people get self-conscious about band aids or don't want people to keep asking "What happened to you?" I wouldn't be self-conscious about it, but I am self-conscious about other things. I'll happily buy the one-piece bathing suit because I'm self-conscious, but if someone with a similar build is comfortable in a bikini, that's fine, too.

Load More Replies...
Brittany
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That right there is the reason people^^^^ Opps sorry you're too racist to care. My bad! What was I thinking? Because my body produces ”too much” melanin I should be silent and not care about ”simple” things like band aids being brown to match my skin tone. LOL! Okayyy! Keep trying... We’ll still be here rather you like it or not! To the NICE people on social media, have a fantastic day! I think this post is awesome! Btw I have a fantastic life I'm not going to loose sleep if I get a million thumbs down or if u decide to call me out of my name. You will read this, u will be effected and I won't check this post again. 😘

Laura Maeflower
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I want to apologize on behalf of the ignorant people on here who think this isn't a big deal. Some are even saying "those beige bandaids never matched my skin tone and I'm white". Like it's supposed to match to the exact precise color. They've never had to deal with only having a vastly different shade of bandaid available to them, because their country was only catering to one race. They need to get a few first hand experiences laid out for them before they open their mouths. It's upsetting to see that they'd rather shout about how sensitive people are instead of acknowledging that there's still left overs from a terrible time when black people were not considered people.

Load More Replies...
Fasolka
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm white. When i cut my finger I use funny plasters, but when I wear high-heels and have a blister, then I go for natural skin tone plaster, otherwise it doesn't look professional at my work place. It has never came across my mind that plasters were not available in different colours. Great idea, great move. We all like options

Laura Maeflower
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

For everyone who doesn't understand why this is important. No, it's not a bunch of touchy sensitive people getting upset about something trivial. It's not people looking for racism. Out of all the racially discriminating things that have existed in the past 100 years, the bandaid thing is very small, but it's still significant. The reason white people didn't ever think about bandaid color was because the color was always supposed to suite our skin, the bandaid blended in. For black people, bandaids never matched their skin, it never blended in. (The analogy: black people didn't feel like they blended into society.) Bandaid color isn't a problem when your skin matches the bandaid. Kind of like, 'money isn't a problem when you have it'. Black people had to fight for mainstream products to cater to them for a long time. Before the 70s, brown makeup foundation was a limited source and not mainstream at all. You must see that there was a problem with that. Many African Americans have been here as long as or even longer than many white people, they belong here, they are fully American, yet the country took its time in accepting this fact. There's still evidence of discrimination from the past. Beige bandaids are remaining evidence that America was only concerned with white people for a very long time.

Csaba Hegedűs
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Wow, we live in a time when even bandaids are racist. I feel like we just achieved world peace.

Valerie Lessard
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

they ought to have done this at the time of invention of these things, it's purely logical as everyone even those part of the "white" race has different complexions. why does tesco have to make a song and dance of it with all the ads though? to give themselves diversity points. I'd be more impressed if they simply released them without all the self accolades, now people are gonna feel awkward buying them.

Hannah M
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Race diversity is good and all, but here black people have a distinct advantage. Why do they get lovely chocolate coloured ones but the plaster companies insist on using Trump as a model for whites? 😂

N G
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Now we need some for pale skinned caucasians too, those pink plasters don't match anyone's skin tone.

Ivo H
Community Member
4 years ago

This comment has been deleted.

Terd Fergison
Community Member
4 years ago

This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

I really wish BP would change the title of this article. Band-Aids are a specific brand. The actual items are called bandages or plasters. Every time you say Band-Aid instead of bandage, you are buying into the propaganda, the brainwashing. Every time you say band-aid, you are giving that huge corporation free advertising. It's an insidious thing that we often don't realize or think about. Stop letting corporations brand you.

Laura Maeflower
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's normal for brand names to become common-plsce names for things. It's just part of linguistics. Bandaid is in our language, man, it's too late to go back.

Load More Replies...
Martha Meyer
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Call me dumb but I never realized plasters are supposed to be skin tone. The beige ones are too dark for my skin. Good idea to produce them in different skin colours!

NMN
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Same thing, the ones I had usually were too pink or a weird dark yellow, but never cared about it. I understand if there are people that do care and want skin color ones and different tones.

Load More Replies...
LittleMissLotus
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is a great idea, why are people getting so worked up over different colored band aids? If they offend you that much, just don't buy them

Cat
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The latest band aids I bought have Disney characters on them and it made me laugh even when I cut my finger lol

Maryse Faucher
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Personally find it good for kids or anyone concious of band aids being visible. I need to use plaster offen on my fingers and making a visible statement don''t bother me anymore. That's the thing it used to bug me and with all the virus or possible infection from open wounds. Inclusion in safety matter too, just like in tight

XianJaguar
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

In hindsight, I'm wondering why no one thought of this before! It seems so obvious now. I hope more companies do this.

Michelle Chevalier
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I really didn't know this was an issue...is the world really that sensitive?? Maybe I didn't notice since all my band-aids have Spongebob on them.

Viviane
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Some people get self-conscious about band aids or don't want people to keep asking "What happened to you?" I wouldn't be self-conscious about it, but I am self-conscious about other things. I'll happily buy the one-piece bathing suit because I'm self-conscious, but if someone with a similar build is comfortable in a bikini, that's fine, too.

Load More Replies...
Brittany
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That right there is the reason people^^^^ Opps sorry you're too racist to care. My bad! What was I thinking? Because my body produces ”too much” melanin I should be silent and not care about ”simple” things like band aids being brown to match my skin tone. LOL! Okayyy! Keep trying... We’ll still be here rather you like it or not! To the NICE people on social media, have a fantastic day! I think this post is awesome! Btw I have a fantastic life I'm not going to loose sleep if I get a million thumbs down or if u decide to call me out of my name. You will read this, u will be effected and I won't check this post again. 😘

Laura Maeflower
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I want to apologize on behalf of the ignorant people on here who think this isn't a big deal. Some are even saying "those beige bandaids never matched my skin tone and I'm white". Like it's supposed to match to the exact precise color. They've never had to deal with only having a vastly different shade of bandaid available to them, because their country was only catering to one race. They need to get a few first hand experiences laid out for them before they open their mouths. It's upsetting to see that they'd rather shout about how sensitive people are instead of acknowledging that there's still left overs from a terrible time when black people were not considered people.

Load More Replies...
Fasolka
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm white. When i cut my finger I use funny plasters, but when I wear high-heels and have a blister, then I go for natural skin tone plaster, otherwise it doesn't look professional at my work place. It has never came across my mind that plasters were not available in different colours. Great idea, great move. We all like options

Laura Maeflower
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

For everyone who doesn't understand why this is important. No, it's not a bunch of touchy sensitive people getting upset about something trivial. It's not people looking for racism. Out of all the racially discriminating things that have existed in the past 100 years, the bandaid thing is very small, but it's still significant. The reason white people didn't ever think about bandaid color was because the color was always supposed to suite our skin, the bandaid blended in. For black people, bandaids never matched their skin, it never blended in. (The analogy: black people didn't feel like they blended into society.) Bandaid color isn't a problem when your skin matches the bandaid. Kind of like, 'money isn't a problem when you have it'. Black people had to fight for mainstream products to cater to them for a long time. Before the 70s, brown makeup foundation was a limited source and not mainstream at all. You must see that there was a problem with that. Many African Americans have been here as long as or even longer than many white people, they belong here, they are fully American, yet the country took its time in accepting this fact. There's still evidence of discrimination from the past. Beige bandaids are remaining evidence that America was only concerned with white people for a very long time.

Csaba Hegedűs
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Wow, we live in a time when even bandaids are racist. I feel like we just achieved world peace.

Valerie Lessard
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

they ought to have done this at the time of invention of these things, it's purely logical as everyone even those part of the "white" race has different complexions. why does tesco have to make a song and dance of it with all the ads though? to give themselves diversity points. I'd be more impressed if they simply released them without all the self accolades, now people are gonna feel awkward buying them.

Hannah M
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Race diversity is good and all, but here black people have a distinct advantage. Why do they get lovely chocolate coloured ones but the plaster companies insist on using Trump as a model for whites? 😂

N G
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Now we need some for pale skinned caucasians too, those pink plasters don't match anyone's skin tone.

Ivo H
Community Member
4 years ago

This comment has been deleted.

Terd Fergison
Community Member
4 years ago

This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

I really wish BP would change the title of this article. Band-Aids are a specific brand. The actual items are called bandages or plasters. Every time you say Band-Aid instead of bandage, you are buying into the propaganda, the brainwashing. Every time you say band-aid, you are giving that huge corporation free advertising. It's an insidious thing that we often don't realize or think about. Stop letting corporations brand you.

Laura Maeflower
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's normal for brand names to become common-plsce names for things. It's just part of linguistics. Bandaid is in our language, man, it's too late to go back.

Load More Replies...
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