Valentine’s scandals

Sainsbury’s has been selling cards “For My Wife” at £2 each for St Valentine’s Day. A very similar card “For My Husband” was priced at £2.50. Shoppers were outraged at women being asked to fork out more than men. Sainsbury’s penitently promised to reduce the higher price. But does the scandal stop there? The cards depict dogs. Nothing wrong with that. But careful perusal of the For My Wife card reveals a dog depicted in a sort of diamante collar. This surely reflects an ugly sexist and proprietorial attitude. Then there is the question of the breed. The artwork is imprecise, but the dogs appear to be wire fox-terriers or perhaps foxhounds. In either case, is the linking of bloodsports and St Valentine’s healthy?

Another possibility is that people with time on their hands are making a fuss about not much.