Retailers and brands have learned by now that social media brings people complaning about their ads, the lack of NASA shirts in the girls' clothes department and countless other things as consumers police ideas they don't like and complain about airlines 24/7.

We've now graduated to actual police, policing terms used in display areas of Tesco supermarkets. Meet Sargeant Peter Allen, the Sussex Hate Crime Sgt & Trans Equality Advocate. He found an offensive sign at Tesco - offensive to transgender people, he claims - and he's made sure that Tesco knows it.

.@tesco #FAIL Need to update. Especially with products 4 men on shelf. 'Personal Hygiene' perhaps pic.twitter.com/GNgnN2aiAi — Peter Allan (@SgtPeterAllan) August 5, 2016

Now, since brands know that the only way to diffuse anything on social media is to say they'll "take a look at it", which is the opposite approach than the one taken by Protein World, Tesco said exactly that to police officer Peter. A nice "thanks for the feedback" tweet-reply.

Hi Peter, sorry about this. Could you let me know which store this is at to fed back please. Thanks - Ieuan — Tesco (@Tesco) August 5, 2016

Most other people in the same thread aren't as happy with this. Most of the ire is directed at the Sussex Police though, and not Tesco or their sign.

How many Tampons do you get through per month, on average, Peter? — Stephen Kenyon-Owen (@oozelumbird) August 10, 2017

Is this some type of joke? Acid attacks, knife crime up, child grooming gangs and the police are interested in this? Get real please! — Glovered (@Yeovil070707) August 10, 2017

There's nothing to stop men buying tampons. The fact they don't have a fanny to shove them up ain't Tesco's fault. — Lord Cornelius (@LordCornelius) August 10, 2017

Please tell me this a parody account? — Zen² (@MemeticsMatter) August 10, 2017

Last time I checked, tampons were used for feminine hygiene, not male. Haven't you got anything better to do with taxpayers money? — Alan Ahern (@alanahern54) August 10, 2017

have you seriously got nothing better to do? How much is this costing us? — Ｓｕｅ Ｖｅｎｅｅｒ (@sueveneer) August 12, 2017

BREAKING: man offended by tampons! — Diana Death (@TheeDianaDeath) August 10, 2017

Why do feminine hygiene products need to be gender neutral when ONLY WOMEN HAVE NEED OF THEM???



Tesco, please ignore this idiocy ... — Jon P Farmer (@jpfotouk) August 10, 2017

This may have been a bigger PR blunder for the Sussex Police than for Tesco.