A winter-themed candle from Bath & Body Works has reportedly been pulled from shelves after its snowflake label design was compared to the costume of the racist supremacist group Ku Klux Klan, forcing the company to apologize.
“We are committed to listening to our teams and our customers, and correcting any mistakes we make – even unintentional ones like this. We apologize to all those we offended,” a spokesperson for the American company reportedly indicated in a statement to CNN on Monday.
The candle in question, which bore the name “Snowed In” or “Neige inside” in French, presented on its label a paper snowflake, like the ones we cut out at school.
Except that for several Internet users, the result was reminiscent of the hood and white dress worn by the racist white supremacist group Ku Klux Klan formed in the 1865s in the United States, which had become a symbol of hatred, CTV News reported.
If many people criticized or denounced the image of the candle on social networks, the company would have rushed to cancel all orders for the item and remove it from all its shelves, apologizing.
«[Nous] “Let’s work quickly to have this item removed and evaluate our process going forward,” the spokesperson reportedly continued to CNN.
Many online have wondered how the idea was approved in the first place.
“How did they not see this coming? Glad they took it out. Sometimes companies really need to double-check their concepts before putting them on the market,” wrote X user Nathalie May last Thursday, according to CTV News.
Others instead found the reaction exaggerated, accusing others of making a mountain out of a molehill.
“It’s just stupid,” wrote one of them, according to the English-speaking media. There’s nothing racist about it. People are looking for reasons [d’inciter à la discrimination raciale].»
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