Shoprite, Woolworths, PnP and Dis-Chem pull TRESemmé off shelves

Image credit: @TRESemme_SA via Twitter

"We can confirm that TRESemmé products have been removed from sale in our stores," the Shoprite Group – which owns the Checkers, Shoprite and U-Save brands – said in a short statement to Bizcommunity.

Yesterday, Clicks announced that it will delist TRESemmé and fill the gap on shelf with locally-sourced haircare brands. The move follows a public outcry over a marketing campaign on the Clicks website which promoted racist stereotypes about hair.

Clicks delists TRESemmé, accepts resignation of senior exec

8 Sep 2020

Woolworths confirmed that it too has pulled TRESemmé products from shelves in a statement that said, "Woolworths has taken the decision to remove all TRESemmé products from our shelves with immediate effect. As a company, we are deeply aware of our responsibility to confront racial prejudice and disparities when they are identified. We do not support the racial biases expressed in the TRESemmé campaign.”

Pick n Pay indicated in tweets on its official Twitter account that it will be removing TRESemmé products while it engages with the supplier.

"Given the recent concern about the language used by TRESemmé their product line, we have decided to remove the products from our shelves while we engage with the supplier," the tweets said.

Screenshot from Twitter

Health and beauty retailer Dis-Chem also confirmed in tweets this morning that it has removed TRESemmé products from stores. "We have confirmed that all TRESemmé products have been withdrawn from our shelves. The decision was taken on Tuesday and this has been implemented across our stores nationally."

Screenshot via Twitter

The Economic Freedon Fighters (EFF) have been protesting outside Clicks stores since the start of the week and encouraged a boycott of the retailer in light of the racially offensive campaign. Over 400 Clicks stores have been affected by the protests, with one petrol-bombed and some others vandalised by EFF members.

On Tuesday, Clicks secured an interim court interdict which prevented the EFF from threatening or intimidating Clicks staff and customers. The interdict does however allow for peaceful protest.

Clicks shut its stores across the country on Tuesday to engage directly with its store staff across the county and provide counselling and support. The retailer also announced the resignation of an unnamed senior executive responsible for the campaign, and all employees involved in its publishing have been suspended.

Racist Clicks haircare campaign leads to backlash and picketing

7 Sep 2020

Nonkululeko Gobodo, a non-executive director for the Clicks Group, has urged Clicks and TRESemmé to release the names of the senior executives and the agency involved in the publishing of the controversial advert.

Aside from an apology published on the Unilever South Africa website on Friday, Unilever and TRESemmé have not issued any further formal statements on the matter.

This article was updated shortly after publishing to include information relating to Dis-Chem.