Jay Jays pulls its loser tees

Clothing retailer Jay Jays has relented and pulled off shelves its Little Losers t-shirts' described by critics as having "inappropriate" alcohol and sexual-related motifs .

The move late yesterday to remove the t-shirts from all shop windows in New Zealand and Australia and not restock them followed an outcry against characters on the t-shirts named Miss Bitch, Miss Wasted, Miss Floozy, Mr Well-hung, Mr Asshole and Mr Pimp.

Family First NZ national director Bob McCoskrie had called for the removal of the t-shirts from Jay Jays' stores across the country, including its three branches in Hamilton, saying they were a blatant sexualisation of young children and teenagers.

The Children's Commissioner, Cindy Kiro, said the slogans desensitised children to language and ideas they might not understand.

The t-shirts mimic the Mr Men cartoon slogans such as Little Miss Giggles and Mr Happy.

National Council of Women of New Zealand president Christine Low called on consumers to boycott the $25 t-shirts.

"It almost borders on corporate paedophilia quite frankly."

Jay Jays initially expressed disappointment about the criticism and defended the t-shirts.

Jason Murray, managing director of Just Group the parent company of Jay Jays acknowledged the Little Losers range had caused concern in some sections of the community and that "it had been interpreted as contrary to the Jay Jays' brand essence of youthful fun, energy, value and realism".

He said the Little Losers range was not targeted at children.

- © Fairfax NZ News