Argos Accused Of Racism After Selling White Dolls At A Higher Price Than Its Black Or Asian Counterparts

Retail giant Argos are being accused of racism after it was recently discovered that the store are selling the white doll of the same brand at £10 more than the black or Asian counterparts of the same brand. The dolls, made by French company Corolle, are sold in three different packages – the white doll Maria which costs £34.99, the Asian doll Yang, and the black doll Naima, which are both priced at £24.99. The price difference was first noted by a mother, who told The Sun newspaper: "It’s unacceptable for children to think white is better or more desirable. "It’s wrong for our youngster to grow up thinking non-white skin colours are worth less." The mother outlined in the newspaper article how she had been so offended by the apparent racism, that she purchased a different doll than originally planned and sent a letter of complaint to the store. The Argos in question responded with an apology. The chain are now investigating the pricing structure of the dolls, but have released a statement to address concerns: “As a responsible retailer, Argos strongly refutes any suggestion of discrimination with the pricing of the Corolle Calin dolls.  A genuine online pricing error led to one of the dolls being advertised at an incorrect price.  This error is being amended today and all three dolls are now priced at £24.99.  We apologise for any confusion caused.” The dolls are currently not stocked in the Republic of Ireland. Images via Independent UK