British shop chain withdraws 'offensive and disgusting' OCD hand-wash

A hand-sanitiser whose packaging mocked sufferers of obsessive-compulsive disorder has been removed from sale by Paperchase, the birthday card chain-store, following criticism from mental health charities.

The ‘OCD’ hand-soap provoked outrage among sufferers and campaigners, who said the product is “disgusting” and “offensive” and stigmatises people with the condition.

Directions for the product read: "Open cap. Sanitize. Close cap. Open cap. Sanitize. Close cap. Make sure cap is firmly closed. Recheck cap. Are you sure it's closed?"

Paperchase has now withdrawn the product from its 130 stores, although a spokesman was unable to was unable to say whether the chain for apologised for the offence caused.

OCD, which affects 12 in every 1,000 Britons, is an anxiety disorder where sufferers experience intrusive or unwelcome thoughts, often causing them to perform certain actions, such as hand-washing, repeatedly.

Charities said that the existence of products that “trivialise” mental illness could cause sufferers “very real harm”.

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