An anti-racism campaign launched by the Spanish postal service drew widespread criticism following the release of skin-tone stamps, with the lighter tones being more expensive.
The state-owned company Correos said in a statement that its "equality stamps" campaign intended to "raise awareness about racial inequality and advocate for diversity, inclusion and equal rights."
"The darker the stamp, the less value it will have," the company said, adding that "it will be necessary to use more black stamps than white ones."
"That way, each letter and each shipment will become a reflection of the inequality created by racism."
The lightest skin colour stamp is worth €1.60, while the darker one costs 70 cents.
Critics said the campaign is tone-deaf and reflects a lack of diversity within the company.
Some social media users said the campaign was "accidentally racist", and that the "equality stamps" should have the same price.
The campaign was launched during the European Diversity Month, in collaboration with SOS Racismo, an anti-racism NGO in Spain.
The organisation said the idea behind the campaign was to produce a visual tool to denounce institutional violence and racism.
The launch was timed to coincide with the anniversary of the death of George Floyd, a black man killed in Minneapolis on 25 May last year after a white police officer held his knee on Mr Floyd’s neck for more than nine minutes during an arrest.
His death sparked worldwide protests against police brutality and racism.
The now-former officer, Derek Chauvin, has been convicted of murder and manslaughter over Mr Floyd's death.
