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Retail theatre of the absurd: Since when were hand grenades pink and transparent? |
NORWAY. Flowerbomb, the L’Oréal fragrance from Viktor & Rolf that is shaped like a hand grenade, has been withdrawn from Oslo Airport duty free shops amid security fears.
“The current regulations prohibit products in the shape of weapons and we think that this bottle could be used to scare passengers, just like a water gun could,” Airport spokesman Jo Kobro told news agency Agence France Presse.
The decision came after a Norwegian passenger, who was carrying a bottle of the perfume in her luggage, was stopped by security officials at Beauvais Airport in France.
The product was launched onto the market more than two years ago and has been a strong success in travel retail.
Comment: You couldn’t make this up could you? While the ruling may have been understandable coming out of the paranoid US airport and security climate, it is barely credible that the (usually) eminently sensible Norwegians have reacted in this manner.
Do intelligent worldly airport officials really believe that tomorrow’s (eminently trendy, tasteful and scented) terrorist is going to surprise passengers and crew by wielding a Viktor & Rolf 100ml edp in a transparent container?
L’Oréal declined to comment today when contacted by The Moodie Report. Little wonder – they will not have known whether to laugh or cry.
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