Thread: Counted out: Superdrug withdraws man-shaped punchbag

The high street chemist Superdrug has withdrawn a women's boxing set from sale today after complaints from a support group for male victims of domestic violence.

The ManKind Initiative told the store its man-shaped inflatable punchbag encouraged women to hit men.

It wrote to Superdrug's managing director calling for the £9.99 product to be withdrawn.

The Hers Boxing Set comes in pink packaging and contains a man-shaped punchbag and a pair of boxing gloves.

ManKind Initiative said owners were encouraged to insert photos of a man for the punchbag's face.

A picture on the product packaging shows an arrow pointing to a man's groin, saying "kick him here".

Mark Brooks, chairman of The ManKind Initiative, said the fact that Superdrug did not sell a similar product for men suggested domestic violence against men was more acceptable.

"As a charity that receives hundreds of calls a year from distressed men suffering from domestic violence, it is disgraceful that a national retailer like Superdrug should be openly selling products encouraging such acts," he said.

Superdrug responded by saying it would withdraw the boxing sets from its shops and website.

A Superdrug spokeswoman said it would withdraw the product immediately. "We apologise if any offence has been caused by selling this product, that was never our intention," she said.

Superdrug will donate all profits from previous sales of the Hers Boxing Set to The ManKind Initiative.

The charity says at least one in every three acts of domestic violence is committed against a man.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/2007/dec/07/1

The F Word's response: http://www.thefword.org.uk/blog/2007/12/more_horribly_o