Walmart has ended the racist practice of placing Black hair care products in locked cases within their stores.
On Wednesday, the retailer confirmed that they would no longer be putting "multicultural hair care and beauty products" in these boxes, according to CNN.
"We're sensitive to the issue and understand the concerns raised by our customers and members of the community and have made the decision to discontinue placing multicultural hair care and beauty products — a practice in place in about a dozen of our 4,700 stores nationwide — in locked cases," Walmart said in a statement, before claiming that they do not tolerate discrimination.
The boxes — which the company said was meant to deter shoplifters — has been criticized in the past for the implication that customers buying these products can't be trusted. However, the change was seemingly implemented in response to a recent video, in which a Black woman compared the differences in display methods at Walmart's Montbello, Colorado location.
"White privilege also extends to haircare products, apparently, in Walmart," she says, while showing how Black hair care products were locked up, as opposed to the open shelf display for products designed for non-Black hair. "There are Black and brown people all over the place. The message is clear: We don't trust you."
See the video for yourself, below.
“This Walmart is in the heart of Montbello. There are black and brown people all over the place. The message is clear: We don’t trust you.”
— Tori Mason (@ToriMasonTV) June 8, 2020
A customer says the retailer is discriminating against people of color, locking only multicultural products behind glass. @CBSDenver @ 5 pic.twitter.com/9bgI4X0pCb
Photo via Getty