Big W pulls ‘hurtful’ Halloween costume from shelves and apologizes after complaints from mental health advocacy group

Australian retail giant Big W has pulled a ‘hurtful’ Halloween costume from its shelves following complaints that it represented mental health issues.

The Rubies Insane Asylum costume, which resembles a straitjacket used to imprison mental patients, was removed on Tuesday after concerns were raised by national mental health advocacy group SANE.

SANE CEO Rachel Green expressed her disappointment with the sale of the costume and called on other clothing retailers to remove the product.

“This is hurtful and the fact that it is still considered acceptable to sell it as a costume really highlights the level of stigma that still exists in society around mental illness,” Ms Green said. Nine News.

‘It’s not right to make fun of someone with a mental illness. ‘We don’t see cancer patient costumes and we would be horrified if we did.’

She also uploaded a post to LinkedIn yesterday with photos of the costume, which is advertised on the Big W website for $46.80.

Ms Green called on Big W and major home decor retailer Spotlight to consider the impact these products have on their customers and the community.

‘Living with mental health issues is not a costume. “Please do better and withdraw these products from sale,” he wrote.

‘We are human beings like you.’

The Rubies Insane Asylum costume (pictured) was pulled from shelves following complaints from national mental health advocacy organization SANE

A spokesperson for Big W told Daily Mail Australia they removed the costume from the website as soon as they became aware of the complaint yesterday.

“We apologize for the impact that including this costume in our Halloween range may have had on the community,” the spokesperson said.

‘We spoke to SANE Australia to understand the impact of stigma and experiences of people with complex mental health issues and their families, and to understand how it aligns with their positions and values.’

Daily Mail Australia understands Spotlight sells a similar costume but the product is no longer available on its website.

Spotlight has been contacted for further comment.

Figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics have revealed that more than 40 per cent of Australians aged 16 to 85 have experienced a mental disorder at some point in their lives.

A Big W spokesperson confirmed on Tuesday they removed the costume from the website as soon as they became aware of the complaint (pictured a Big W store in Sydney)

In any given year, approximately 880,000 Australians over the age of 18 are living with a complex mental illness, including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and severe anxiety.

SANE yesterday released a statement calling on retailers to remove costumes that ‘stereotype people living with complex mental health issues’.

The organization has also launched a social media campaign to stop retailers in Australia from selling costumes that taint mental health.