Tracy, 39, Manchester

As a mother to a child with pws i am horrified this can happen. I fight all the time for my daughter to be accepted. She has pws to her body. What decade are we really in ?

Tom, 16, Brough, East Yorkshire

Why on Earth did they do that? The picture is presumably showing a girl who was in a fight or accident. Apart from the fact that it should never have been covered up anyway, it's quite a pathetic thing to do since the picture isn't even particularly graphic!

Message from Changing Faces, London

As of 20 May 2009, the record label, Sony, have confirmed with Changing Faces that they neither encouraged or advised anyone to cover up the orginal album cover.

Madeline, 17, Northampton

In all honestly I cannot see much resemblance to a birthmark atall. It appears more as though the person has been involved in a fight. But even so, there are much worse things exposed to the public than a birthmark. Fact is there are horror films and games portraying horrific scenes and this is deemed perfectly acceptable, though it has been deomonstrated to give ideas to potenial criminals. Why cover up art? It is nothing to be ashamed of. This just goes to show how ignorant and narrow minded the people at 'sony' are in suggesting covering it up.

Clare, 47, Argyll and Bute

Who do these supermarket people think they are ? They might sell homogenous products but human beings are far from homogenous and their appearance cannot be categorised into acceptable and unacceptable, this action only serves to illustrate primarily the ignorance, arrogance and insulting behaviour of these oversized institutions. Also, how dare they assume they can decide for me what's acceptable to society and what's not. Just another example of their excessive power and influence over the way we live.

Gill, 45, cambridge

After reading about the decision of the supermarkets to cover the image on the MSP's album I searched online for that and more of the artist's work. I had no idea that the portrait depicted a child with a birthmark, I though it was just the artist's brushwork and use of colours. It looked like an injury to me and as such I found it upsetting but I find many images on display on the magazine shelves of my supermarket and local shops upsetting and I see no sign of them being censored.

Susan, 45, Edinburgh

It is absolutely shocking that Sony and the supermarkets have been so narrow minded yet they would not hesitate to display material which is offensive. I think this is a case of discrimination against face equality.

Monica Weller, 59, Bookham

I cringed when I heard about Sony's advice to the 4 supermarkets. As a portrait for an album cover I think the image is challenging, engaging and refreshing. Who, at Sony, is acting as God?

Dr Lindsey Crockett, 40, Surrey

I am extremely concerned about how such a decision has been made and by whom. What is the justification for it? that people will be enquiring about the girl? that they may feel uncomfortable about looking at her?. Are we really unable to understand that in life there are differences which enhance society, that children have an enquiring mind and deserve simple information in response to questions about someone who appears different to them? I see many patients affected by their looks and there is an overwhelming pressure on people to 'fit in'. The decision to 'hide' disfigurement in general daily life (such as buying a CD) is a very serious one and I'm not the only person demanding an explanation from whoever is responsible for such a dangerous decision at Sony and those at Sainsbury's, ASDA and Tesco.

Rebecca, 19, Warwick

Personally, I think this is ludicrous. We live in a world that promotes acceptance regardless of religion, race, age, sexuality, nationality, language or disability, yet a cover of such, displaying something that is now common is condemned and 'inappropriate.' How can be claim to live in such a society when natural occurrences are covered up? Such a decision should be questioned at the highest level and the effects it causes on people should be examined closely. This act by the big four supermarkets and the decision by Sony is disgusting and shows a complete lack of regard and respect for those affected both directly and indirectly by birthmarks and facial disfigurements alike.

neil, 48, london

Ridiculous – I’m not sure about the music but worth buying the CD for the cover – it’s a wonderful painting. Make the supermarkets hurt: buy the music on i-tunes and make sure you download the cover!