The fancy dress costume appeared online as a Red Foxhunter Jacket Children’s Fancy Dress Costume with a young boy pictured modelling the clothes available for £10.41
Tesco has pulled its ‘appalling’ fox hunter fancy dress costume for children after hunt saboteurs complained it was ‘encouraging youngsters to become animal abusers’.
Shoppers complained to the British supermarket giant after spotting the outfit on sale, for seven-year-olds and older, on its website.
Tesco quickly pulled the costume last night following the outrage and admitted it had been placed on the site by a third party vendor.
The fancy dress costume appeared online as a Red Foxhunter Jacket Children’s Fancy Dress Costume with a young boy pictured modelling the clothes available for £10.41.
On the site, it stated: ‘This costume includes a long sleeved red tailcoat style jacket with a single black button at the front.
‘Fantastic for World Book Day, school shows or just dressing up fun. Please note White T-shirt, Trousers & Shoes not included.’
Hunt groups also attacked the supermarket for selling the ‘disgusting’ costume and branded it as ‘poor judgement’.
Lee Moon, a spokesperson for the Hunt Saboteurs Association, stated: ‘This appears to be remarkably poor judgement form Tesco.
‘Fox hunting is an illegal, archaic pastime that’s abhorred by the majority of the population.
‘Why Tesco would think it’s an appropriate fancy dress costume for children is quite beyond us. We look forward to seeing their badger baiting or dog fighting outfit in the near future!’
Hertfordshire Hunt Saboteurs posted on Facebook: ‘This is just disgusting! Every little hurts. Encouraging children to become animal abusers! (sic)’
Customer John Crabb said: ‘Dear Tesco I am appalled at how you are selling fancy Redcoat fox hunters fancy dress clothes for kids.
‘Are you really trying to encourage them to take up a highly cruel animal bloodsport? I demand an explanation and would like this complaint to be forwarded to your head office.
‘You look on the news there’s new generations of fox hunters trying to bring back this horrendous sport.’
On the site, it stated: ‘This costume includes a long sleeved red tailcoat style jacket with a single black button at the front
Tesco quickly pulled the costume last night following the outrage and admitted it had been placed on the site by a third party vendor
Lee Wicks wrote: ‘Ffs! Tesco evenby your standards this is sick! Every little hurts! Dressing up your kid as a fox hunter wtf!?’
Ann Blake said: ‘Unbelievable, just as well it has been removed. Hope I do not see any for sale.’
Susan Webb said: ‘Hope it has gone!!!!! Expected better from Tesco!!..I have Boycotted Sainsbury’s over the shooting of a fox for months now!! Would never go back!! So sort it TESCO!!’
A spokesperson for Tesco said: ‘We’ve listened to customers and have immediately removed this product from sale.’