Amazon removes controversial kids’ clothing after customer backlash

Amazon UK has withdrawn from sale a kids’ t-shirt featuring the slogan ‘Enjoy Cocaine’. 

The garment, a parody of Coke’s iconic ‘Enjoy Coca-Cola’ design, was available from a third party seller called Philips T15. It was spotted by shopper Stefanie Smith, who posted on Facebook: “What the actual hell is this? WTF?” An Amazon spokesman said: "All Marketplace sellers must follow our selling guidelines and those who don't will be subject to action including potential removal of their account. The products in question are no longer available."

Last week, the e-commerce giant came under fire for selling "disgusting" child sex dolls. A BBC investigation found more than a dozen available on Amazon Marketplace. It contacted the company about one doll, which was removed, but three days later it was back online. 

"These dolls are disgusting and are clearly meant to look like children,” said Anne Longfield, England Children's Commissioner. "Not only do I, as Children's Commissioner, but the wider public also, have a right to expect a huge company like Amazon, to not only remove these products from their platform, but to explain why they are on there in the first place and ensure they can't just be reloaded having been taken down. Such dolls are clearly built for one purpose and that purpose is a clear danger to the safety of real children.”

In July 2017, a judge ruled child sex dolls were obscene items and therefore covered by the 1979 Customs and Excise Management Act. However, it is not a criminal offence to manufacture or possess these dolls; individuals can only be charged for importing them.