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Woolworths withdraws 'Lolita' bed | Woolworths withdraws 'Lolita' bed |
(about 14 hours later) | |
Bedroom furniture for young girls with the brand name Lolita has been withdrawn by Woolworths following complaints from parents. | Bedroom furniture for young girls with the brand name Lolita has been withdrawn by Woolworths following complaints from parents. |
A parenting website said it was in "unbelievably bad taste" to give the bed the same name as a novel about a sexually precocious young girl. | A parenting website said it was in "unbelievably bad taste" to give the bed the same name as a novel about a sexually precocious young girl. |
Woolworths said the £395 Lolita Midsleeper Combi was withdrawn when the matter was brought to its attention. | Woolworths said the £395 Lolita Midsleeper Combi was withdrawn when the matter was brought to its attention. |
Vladimir Nabokov's 1955 novel became famous for its controversial subject. | Vladimir Nabokov's 1955 novel became famous for its controversial subject. |
The story of a stepfather's sexual obsession with a 12-year-old girl has been adapted for film twice: first by Stanley Kubrick in 1962 and later in 1997 when Jeremy Irons played the lead part of Humbert Humbert. | The story of a stepfather's sexual obsession with a 12-year-old girl has been adapted for film twice: first by Stanley Kubrick in 1962 and later in 1997 when Jeremy Irons played the lead part of Humbert Humbert. |
It has become a name that is synonymous with sexual precocity and the fact that it is tied to a girl's bed - it literally couldn't be worse taste Catherine Hanly, parenting website editor | It has become a name that is synonymous with sexual precocity and the fact that it is tied to a girl's bed - it literally couldn't be worse taste Catherine Hanly, parenting website editor |
Catherine Hanly, editor of parenting website raisingkids.co.uk, was among the parents to complain about the furniture advertised on the Woolworths website. | Catherine Hanly, editor of parenting website raisingkids.co.uk, was among the parents to complain about the furniture advertised on the Woolworths website. |
She said a Woolworths press officer had told her staff running the website "had no idea" of the word's connotations. | She said a Woolworths press officer had told her staff running the website "had no idea" of the word's connotations. |
"I expect a company like Woolworths to actually know what it means and the connotations and stuff," she told BBC Radio Five Live Breakfast. | "I expect a company like Woolworths to actually know what it means and the connotations and stuff," she told BBC Radio Five Live Breakfast. |
"It has become a name that is synonymous with sexual precocity and the fact that it is tied to a girl's bed - it literally couldn't be worse taste." | "It has become a name that is synonymous with sexual precocity and the fact that it is tied to a girl's bed - it literally couldn't be worse taste." |
A Woolworths spokeswoman said: "Now this has been brought to our attention, the product has been removed from sale with immediate effect." | |
She said the suppliers, who advertise the product on the Woolworths' website, would be asked how the branding came about. | She said the suppliers, who advertise the product on the Woolworths' website, would be asked how the branding came about. |
Playboy bunny | Playboy bunny |
It is not the first time retailers have been criticised for using branding with sexual connotations on goods marketed for children. | It is not the first time retailers have been criticised for using branding with sexual connotations on goods marketed for children. |
In 2005, WH Smiths came under fire for selling youngsters stationery bearing the Playboy bunny - a symbol of the pornography empire. | In 2005, WH Smiths came under fire for selling youngsters stationery bearing the Playboy bunny - a symbol of the pornography empire. |
Prior to that Bhs decided to withdraw its Little Miss Naughty range of padded bras and knickers for pre-teen girls after attracting criticism. | |