A MOTIVATIONAL poster displayed in the staff room at Tesco in Haverfordwest has landed one of the managers at the store in hot water.
The poster shows a picture of a man holding a gun to his head with the words: “Goodbye Haverfordwest, it’s been nice knowing you!” written above in bright blue text.
The store has come under fire from mental health campaigners after it put the poster up in the supermarket where sales were falling.
Staff at the supermarket saw the poster above the monthly sales report every day when they clocked in and out of work.
But one Tesco worker took a picture of it and complained to his managers.
A worker at the supermarket said: ‘’It was supposed to get us motivated – but you just felt like they were holding a gun to your head.
‘’It wasn’t funny or inspirational – it was just a bit sick.’’
Ruth Coombs, Mind Cymru manager for Influence and Change said: “We’re very disappointed to see this image and the lack of mental health awareness shown by Tesco with its use. Suicide is a very serious issue, which affects hundreds of people across Wales each year.
“We’d certainly urge Tesco to reconsider using imagery of this kind and think about the effect it can have on staff.”
Tesco received widespread condemnation last month for trivialising and stigmatising mental health issues by selling ‘mental patient’ costumes.
Tesco withdrew its £18.45 ‘Psycho Ward’ costume, which came complete with an orange boiler suit and Hannibal Lecter-style mask, and agreed to make a donation to mental health charity Mind.
The poster has been withdrawn from the Haverfordwest store.
A Tesco spokesperson said: “This was clearly an error of judgement, in one store.
“The person responsible for the poster has apologised and it has been removed.”
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The poster, displayed in Tesco Haverfordwest, has been condemned for trivialising suicide.
