Kmart pulls their $6 bridal costume for four-year-old’s off the shelves

‘We sincerely apologise’: Kmart REMOVES a $6 bridal costume for children from shelves after angry mums accuse the store of ‘promoting child marriage’

  • Kmart Australia has apologised for selling $6 bridal costume for young children
  • They were targeted by a Melbourne mother, and others, over it on Tuesday 
  • Shannon Barbone saw the wedding dress attire for sale in her local store  
  • She explained that child brides are serious issue and it should be banned 

Kmart Australia has pulled a $6 wedding dress costume for children from the shelves after public outcry over the ‘inappropriate’ Halloween costume.

The retailer was bombarded with angry messages on Tuesday when Melbourne mother Shannon Barbone pointed out how distasteful she found the ensemble and started an online petition to have it banned.

As a result Kmart has ‘sincerely apologised’ and will no longer be stocking the dress.

‘Kmart Australia regrets the decision to range the bride costume (ages 4-6 years), it was not intended to cause offence and we sincerely apologise,’ a spokesperson told FEMAIL.

An extremely disgruntled mother has slammed Kmart for selling a wedding dress ‘costume’ (pictured) for four-year-old’s this Halloween

‘We have made the decision to withdraw this product and we encourage customers who have product concerns or feedback, to please get in contact with our Kmart Customer Service team.’   

Shannon was shopping for a Halloween outfit for her young daughter when she came across the white gown nestled between the fairy and unicorn costumes.

Outraged by what she saw as a promotion of ‘child marriage’, Shannon started a petition on Change.org to see the dress removed completely from stores.

‘A child bride costume currently exists on Kmart shelves in children’s sizes,’ she wrote on the petition, which has been signed by 179 people.

‘Tell Kmart this is beyond inappropriate and offensive and that they have a social responsibility to pull this item off their shelves immediately.’ 

The dress, which has a hemline down to the knees and includes a veil and sweetheart neckline, is targeted for girls aged between four and six. 

‘Each year 12 million children (girls as young as six years old – the same size as this costume) are sold or married off by their family without their consent. That’s one million child marriages per month,’ Shannon said.

‘Child marriage means child abuse and torture in its worst forms – paedophilia, child rape, child slavery, child sex trafficking.’

A number of equally concerned parents have responded to Shannon's petition by questioning why the costume was made in the first place

A number of equally concerned parents have responded to Shannon’s petition by questioning why the costume was made in the first place

A number of equally concerned parents responded to Shannon’s petition by questioning why the costume was made in the first place.

‘Marriage should never be held up as a goal for little girls to achieve, let along the inappropriateness of emulating child marriage,’ one woman said.

‘Are there little groom costumes? I bet not,’ said another.

A third added: ‘This is wrong on so many levels. It disgusts me.’ 

But others found her anger over the costume ridiculous and said this doesn’t equate to actual child brides.

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk