Asda forced to remove 'bad taste' poppy display after complaints
Bosses at Asda's Harpurhey store have been forced to apologise and remove an offensive Remembrance Day display that depicted a dead solider following customer complaints.
Featuring a tree, poppies and an effigy of a fallen serviceman, the display drew criticism online.
Disgusting! How is this showing respect? It needs dismantling at one! @asda #Harpurhey @AsdaServiceTeam @MENnewsdesk pic.twitter.com/jUhjoq6imX
— Brad (@BradMCR) November 6, 2015
Speaking to the Manchester Evening News, Brad Wray, who served in the Royal Air Force for seven years and also complained on Twitter said: "As someone who is ex-forces, I found it in pretty bad taste.
"Everything done by the Royal British Legion is very professional and respectful. For someone who has served and seen casualties on the battlefield, or a family member who has lost someone, to walk and see that could really trigger stress."
An Asda spokesperson said the display was meant as a mark of respect and commented: "We're proud to support the Poppy Appeal in our stores across the UK and have been welcoming volunteers from the Royal British Legion into our stores to sell remembrance poppies.
"Our colleagues have been holding fundraising activities in stores to support the Poppy Appeal and it was not our intention to cause offence with the poppy display at the Harpurhey store.
"There were a couple of complaints about the use of the mannequin within the display so a decision was made to remove the mannequin but to leave the rest of the display and poppies standing."
Despite drawing critics a number of shoppers felt the display should have been retained.