Mental health campaigners are calling on Poundland to pull one of its products because they believe it's offensive and contains 'distressing imagery'.

The bargain British store has released a product called 'Nutters' and appears to be similar to peanut M&Ms, but features three characters on the packaging with skewed eyes.

Nutters have been available for purchase for 12 months but have only just been recognised. British MP Norman Lamb, whose son, Archie, suffers from mental health issues, was angry when he first saw the chocolate.

Mr Lamb has told the Sun: "There is a stigma attached to mental health and we need to be careful about the way we talk about it.

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Nutter chocolate

Credit: Poundland



"The product needs to be quickly withdrawn from sale and Poundland needs to apologise."

He's added to the BBC: "If you just say nothing and just allow these products to be normal practice, it perpetuates a negative view of mental health - that there's something weird and odd about you.

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"Just think about being a teenager and thinking 'do I want to be defined as a nutter?'."

Other mental health campaigners are calling the product a 'step backwards' for progress and recognition of some people's conditions.



However, some people have been taking to social media to protest against the criticism, even some who say that they suffer or have suffered from mental health issues in the past.

I really hope @Poundland sticks to its guns over Nutters! Political correctness can be far more divisive than harmless fun.

- Matgo Styles (@MatgoStyles) September 13, 2017

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The offended-on-your-behalf PC brigade angry at Poundland over its' Nutters sweets. Having had 2 nervous breakdowns, I just find it amusing

- DJS says adiEU (@woodborobarmpot) September 13, 2017

Poundland do not remove the sweets called nutters. I have had a few mental health issues in the past. It's not offensive. Can't people smile

- The Lord Glencoe (@jmac69) September 13, 2017

Poundland has released a statement saying: "These chocolate-covered nuts have been a customer favourite over the last 12 months and that popularity suggests it hasn't caused offence to them."



The company adds that it has taken the feedback about the product onboard and will be 'assessing' whether it will appear in the future at its next formal review.