A MUM has been shamed on Twitter after complaining she had been sold a blue toilet seat – only to discover she hadn’t taken off the protective film.
Marie Stent, from Cambridge, paid £40 for a toilet seat from Ikea and was “freaking out” that it was blue rather than white and she had lost the receipt.
Her 18-year-old daughter, Amber, simply pointed out to her frazzled mother that the “problem” could be sorted out by peeling off the blue plastic on the “Ekaren” seat.
The law student then posted details and pictures of her 48-year-old mum’s consumer meltdown on social media, which has gone viral.
The Newcastle University student wrote: “Mum bought a £40 toilet seat from Ikea, gets home and starts freaking out because it’s bright blue and she’s chucked away the receipt.
“After about 30 minutes of accepting it, she’s finally got her head around the idea of having a blue toilet, until I come and read the label.”
Amber posted a picture of what appears to be a baby blue toilet seat sitting on top of the Ikea box it came in.
In the next photograph she focuses in on the label attached to the front of the seat – which clearly instructs the buyer to peel the blue film off.
Finally, in the third photograph – Amber shames her mum by peeling back the blue film to reveal a bright white toilet seat.
In the comments Amber joked: “She causes me so much pain.”
The post has been liked and retweeted more than 140,000 times.
On social media, Sam Mac said: “My cousin had a trendy blue microwave for a while.”
Schizoaffected added: “That happened to me too and to my shame I returned it.”
Amy Harcombe commented: “I had the blue stuff on my cutlery drawer for 10 years before I noticed.”
John Hannah wrote: “When I worked in Ikea a guy drove back to Edinburgh from Aberdeen raging at being sold a blue butchers block. Customer service couldn’t calm him. I turned up, peeled the blue protective paper off the stainless steel top and he picked it up and walked away without another word.”
Suzehu added: “All the doors to my new kitchen came like that. I had ordered cream and nearly panicked until my builders calmly removed the blue stuff.”
Rinny B said: “My mum works in customer services there (Ikea) and you would not believe the number of people who have done this.”
Speaking today, Amber said: “She couldn’t believe it, she was absolutely convinced it was blue and had actually accepted she was going to have a blue toilet.
“I just saw a little bit of white under the film and then saw the label and it clicked.
“I didn’t expect it to be this popular, it’s not even that funny really. I think it’s just the fact so many people have gone through the same thing. Ikea obviously need to make the label clearer.”
Agnieszka Lachowicz, Sales Leader for bathrooms at IKEA UK and Ireland, said:
“At IKEA, we wrap all toilet seats in film to prevent damages during transportation. Unfortunately, our range does not yet include beautifully bright blue toilet seats but for those looking to add a little more colour to their bathroom, the film comes free!”
