Waitrose pulls 'racist' chocolate Easter ducklings from sale after customers complain

[GoldHeart]

Waitrose has apologised over "racist" Easter ducks after customers complained that the dark brown one was labelled as "ugly".

An £8 trio of white, milk and dark chocolate Easter ducklings caused offence among a "small number" of customers for being labelled as "fluffy", "crispy" and "ugly".

The complaints centered around the dark brown one being described as the "ugly" one, with some implying it was racist.

Following the feedback, the supermarket temporarily withdrew the ducklings from sale while it redesigned the packaging to remove the labels. The redesigned packs are now back on sale in stores and online.

The names are likely to have been inspired by the song "the ugly duckling", from the literary fairy tale by Danish poet and author Hans Christian Andersen, later adapted by Disney
The song is about a small, brown ugly duckling who is mocked and excluded by the other ducklings. Later he discovers he is not a duck when he sheds his brown feathers and grows into a beautiful white swan.

The lyrics go: "There once was an ugly duckling, with feathers all stubby and brown, and the other birds said in so many words, get out of town."

A Waitrose spokesman said: "We are very sorry for any upset caused by the name of this product, it was absolutely not our intention to cause any offence. We removed the product from sale several weeks ago while we changed the labelling and our ducklings are now back on sale."

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6900501/amp/Waitrose-pulls-racist-chocolate-Easter-ducklings-sale.html

https://i.postimg.cc/mk7RzwHX/12021180-6900501-image-m-104-1554754196842.jpg (https://postimages.org/)

[Oliver_W]

I hope people who have neon pink speckles across their dark skin are okay after seeing that.

[Ammi]

...I swear we have one of these ‘that egg is offensive’ type stories every year...I would have said the ‘ugly’ in it might have been that it’s plain chocolate..therefore a little bit more bitter and less creamy and sweet than the other two...not any type of racist connotation...that just silly surely...very eggstreme and eggstroadinary...and eggsagerated...and blooming eggspensive at £8 for the box...

[GoldHeart]

I hope people who have neon pink speckles across their dark skin are okay after seeing that.

Compared to the H&M blunder of "coolest monkey" , I DON'T think this issue is that serious :rolleyes: And I think the pink speckles are suppose to emphasis how different the duckling is, so yeah it isn't just a dark colour .

I don't think Waitrose meant any offence at all . So I'd say the complaints are an overreaction.

Suppose you could also argue that all colour ducklings could be labelled "ugly" but I don't think they thought about it that much . And maybe some don't like the theme but that's the theme they chose .

[Vicky.]

Yeah I do think this is people kicking off for the sake of kicking off tbh. The H&M thing, was quite different and really should not have happened IMO, even moreso when it will have been a fair few higher ups decisions to use that picture and someone should have clicked on.. But this? Not understanding the angst.

[user104658]

Isn't chocolate inherently racist though?

[arista]

Isn't chocolate inherently racist though?


It should not be.

[Vicky.]

Isn't chocolate inherently racist though?

How :suspect:

Also, sort of ontopic, I ****ing hate white chocolate. At xmas I can deal with a tube of the milkybar buttons, but besides that, its awful stuff that makes me feel ill

[Niamh.]

How :suspect:

Also, sort of ontopic, I ****ing hate white chocolate. At xmas I can deal with a tube of the limybar buttons, but besides that, its awful stuff that makes me feel ill

Milky bars are alright but anything thicker than that for white chocolate is gross and sickly

[Kazanne]

Waitrose has apologised over "racist" Easter ducks after customers complained that the dark brown one was labelled as "ugly".

An £8 trio of white, milk and dark chocolate Easter ducklings caused offence among a "small number" of customers for being labelled as "fluffy", "crispy" and "ugly".

The complaints centered around the dark brown one being described as the "ugly" one, with some implying it was racist.

Following the feedback, the supermarket temporarily withdrew the ducklings from sale while it redesigned the packaging to remove the labels. The redesigned packs are now back on sale in stores and online.

The names are likely to have been inspired by the song "the ugly duckling", from the literary fairy tale by Danish poet and author Hans Christian Andersen, later adapted by Disney
The song is about a small, brown ugly duckling who is mocked and excluded by the other ducklings. Later he discovers he is not a duck when he sheds his brown feathers and grows into a beautiful white swan.

The lyrics go: "There once was an ugly duckling, with feathers all stubby and brown, and the other birds said in so many words, get out of town."

A Waitrose spokesman said: "We are very sorry for any upset caused by the name of this product, it was absolutely not our intention to cause any offence. We removed the product from sale several weeks ago while we changed the labelling and our ducklings are now back on sale."

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6900501/amp/Waitrose-pulls-racist-chocolate-Easter-ducklings-sale.html

https://i.postimg.cc/mk7RzwHX/12021180-6900501-image-m-104-1554754196842.jpg (https://postimages.org/)

Blimey have people nothing better to do,it's all in their heads.:nono:

[Livia]

Another grovelling apology to someone who needs a ****ing hobby.

[GoldHeart]

Blimey have people nothing better to do,it's all in their heads.:nono:

Exactly
I think even if the "ugly duckling" was the white one people would probably still moan about something .
Plus they're just chocolate ducks :shrug: and it's being blown out of proportion.

[user104658]

I think even if the "ugly duckling" was the white one people would probably still moan about something

Every chocolate duck is beautiful in its own way :nono:

[Twosugars]

Never understood the concept of "ugly duckling"
Ducklings are probably the prettiest bird chicks around so there is no ugly duckling full stop.

The complaint here is ott. Though why two other ducklings have something positive as names and this one doesn't? Stupid. I feel sorry for the dark one.
If I got them as present I'd have to reassure the dark one that it is not ugly before eating it.

[user104658]

How :suspect:


Well someone chose to make it brown and that's pretty insensitive. It could be blue, or purple.

I also have my concerns when it comes to coffee :suspect:

[user104658]

Never understood the concept of "ugly duckling"
Ducklings a probably the pretties bird chicks around so there is no ugly duckling full stop.

The complaint here is ott. Though why two other ducklings have something positive as names and this one doesn't? Stupid. I'd feel sorry for the dark one.

Have you literally not heard the story 2S :suspect:.

The Ugly Duckling is about a swan cygnet that somehow gets mixed in with some baby ducks and thus is thought of as ugly by the other ducks (because it's not small yellow and cute like a real duckling); but then it grows up into a swan and everyone is like "omg look beautiful".

It's a metaphor I guess for kids who were teased by other kids for being unattractive / overweight etc. growing up to look totally different as adults.

[Oliver_W]

Never understood the concept of "ugly duckling"
Ducklings are probably the prettiest bird chicks around so there is no ugly duckling full stop.

.
Try finishing the story some time. I don't mean to ruin the ending, but
it's not actually a duckling

[Twosugars]

Have you literally not heard the story 2S :suspect:.

The Ugly Duckling is about a swan cygnet that somehow gets mixed in with some baby ducks and thus is thought of as ugly by the other ducks (because it's not small yellow and cute like a real duckling); but then it grows up into a swan and everyone is like "omg look beautiful".

It's a metaphor I guess for kids who were teased by other kids for being unattractive / overweight etc. growing up to look totally different as adults.
It was ages ago.
Cygnets are also pretty so those ducks were racist :fist:
Lookism of the worst kind!

[Twosugars]

Try finishing the story some time. I don't mean to ruin the ending, but
it's not actually a duckling

I read it but must have remembered it wrong :blush:

Either way cygnets are also cute just bigger and gray instead of yellow.

[Niamh.]

Yeah but the point is, he didn't look anything like a duckling

[Smithy]

1103692238272499714

It was this woman

:bored: Livia

[Marsh.]

Good.

Bloody outrageous shops are selling stuff like this in 2019.

[Twosugars]

Yeah but the point is, he didn't look anything like a duckling
I know, I got the story wrong.

Still, the dark one is not ugly (tho the pink spots are a choice)

That duckling must feel awful.

[Dogeatdog]

very eggstreme and eggstroadinary...and eggsagerated...and blooming eggspensive at £8 for the box...

Quacking puns there Ammi :laugh:

[Lostie!]

Sad sad people

[bots]

In fairness they could have labelled the ducks; poodle poo, vomit and tasty ... it was racist.

[Livia]

1103692238272499714

It was this woman

:bored: Livia


I can confirm this is NOT me, and that I'm changing my name forthwith.

[arista]

1103692238272499714

It was this woman

:bored: Livia


That's Not Our Livia

[Livia]

M&S should have apologised for charging £8 for £3 worth of chocolate.

[Northern Monkey]

I honestly didn’t know ducks had races.


Edit:As in different ethnic races.Not duck racing....If that’s a thing.

[bots]

I honestly didn’t know ducks had races.


Edit:As in different ethnic races.Not duck racing....If that’s a thing.

I4hkvnVzt6Y

[Josy]

M&S should have apologised for charging £8 for £3 worth of chocolate.C'mon now livia you cant expect poor m&s to apologise for something waitrose did :joker:

[Northern Monkey]

I4hkvnVzt6Y

:joker:

I’ve actually watched and bet on sheep racing.Not ducks though.

[montblanc]

idk if it's just me being hypersensitive but having the darkest color called 'ugly' is pretty sketchy

probably for the best that it's pulled

[montblanc]

like it'd be different if they were all the same shade but they aren't so it's just not a good look at all

[Livia]

C'mon now livia you cant expect poor m&s to apologise for something waitrose did :joker:

Oops... LOL...

Well Waitrose, M&S, same meat different gravy. Full of overpriced stuff and pretentious customers who have kids with silly names... "Apple, Alfonso, Angharad, come on children...". Wish I was middle-class enough to cope with it.

[Livia]

idk if it's just me being hypersensitive but having the darkest color called 'ugly' is pretty sketchy

probably for the best that it's pulled

It's CHOCOLATE.

[Cherie]

I think people have just missed the point that it is tied to ugly duckling story but then the ugly duckling was a cygnet so really they should have had two ducks and a cygnet if they wanted to represent it properly

[user104658]

It's CHOCOLATE.

But you wouldn't be happy if they made the Jewish chocolate duck ugly :idc:

[Northern Monkey]

I think people have just missed the point that it is tied to ugly duckling story but then the ugly duckling was a cygnet so really they should have had two ducks and a cygnet if they wanted to represent it properly

They’d probably cost £15 a box if they did that.Who has a Cygnet mold kicking about?

[Livia]

I think people have just missed the point that it is tied to ugly duckling story but then the ugly duckling was a cygnet so really they should have had two ducks and a cygnet if they wanted to represent it properly

The ugly one ends up to be the hero of the story. Maybe the white people who complained are the racist ones... not wanting a dark brown "duckling" being the hero...?

I'd be really interested to know how many black people complained... not many I reckon because they understand... it's CHOCOLATE!

[Livia]

But you wouldn't be happy if they made the Jewish chocolate duck ugly :idc:

If they were trying to represent Jews, then I'd agree.

But they weren't.

They were selling chocolate ducks.

[Cherie]

If they were trying to represent Jews, then I'd agree.

But they weren't.

They were selling chocolate ducks.

:joker:

[Cherie]

The ugly one ends up to be the hero of the story. Maybe the white people who complained are the racist ones... not wanting a dark brown "duckling" being the hero...?

I'd be really interested to know how many black people complained... not many I reckon because they understand... it's CHOCOLATE!

could have been worse, they could have emblazoned a cross on its back for good measure, that really would have sent the people with too much time on their hands into meltdown....pun

[Livia]

could have been worse, they could have emblazoned a cross on its back for good measure, that really would have sent the people with too much time on their hands into meltdown....pun

LOL... well, we need stuff like that in the world to keep those people occupied.

[montblanc]

It's CHOCOLATE.

yes BUT i can also understand how this product can rub someone the wrong way

[montblanc]

with that being said though calling this racist is a bit of a stretch :laugh:

[Livia]

yes BUT i can also understand how this product can rub someone the wrong way

So you agree with the white woman who complained?

Making out that black people would be insulted by what is essentially a bit of chocolate does nothing to help race relations. It makes it seem like black people complain about all kinds of stuff... when in actuality, it's white people being offended on their behalf.

[bots]

what the hell have ducks got to do with easter anyway ..... are there stories about the easter duck? :suspect:

[Livia]

with that being said though calling this racist is a bit of a stretch :laugh:

Chocolate.

LOL.... And you know, I hate dark chocolate. if I was black I'd be pissed off being identified with the worst chocolate in the world.

[Livia]

what the hell have ducks got to do with easter anyway ..... are there stories about the easter duck? :suspect:

I have no idea and that is a very good question.

Did you know that Easter is named after the pagan Goddess, Oestre, a fertility goddess that gives her name to Oestrogen, the female hormone. Her symbols are eggs, being a fertility goddess, and the hare. Germans have the Easter hare and not the bunny... I feel like I say all this every Easter.

No ducks though.

[montblanc]

So you agree with the white woman who complained?

Making out that black people would be insulted by what is essentially a bit of chocolate does nothing to help race relations. It makes it seem like black people complain about all kinds of stuff... when in actuality, it's white people being offended on their behalf.

i don't really agree with her because calling this "racist" is a joke :skull: i just can understand why someone could feel weird about the darkest of three different colored ducks being called ugly

[Cherie]

what the hell have ducks got to do with easter anyway ..... are there stories about the easter duck? :suspect:

new life....spring lambs, ducks, bunnies....resurrection.:hee:

[Livia]

i don't really agree with her because calling this "racist" is a joke :skull: i just can understand why someone could feel weird about the darkest of three different colored ducks being called ugly

Well if someone did feel like that, they need a hug and be told not to be so daft.

[montblanc]

Chocolate.

LOL.... And you know, I hate dark chocolate. if I was black I'd be pissed off being identified with the worst chocolate in the world.

ERM dark chocolate is the best kind of chocolate :oh:

[Livia]

new life....spring lambs, ducks, bunnies....resurrection.:hee:

Of course. That's why the ducks.

[Livia]

ERM dark chocolate is the best kind of chocolate :oh:

Oooo no, lovely Belgian milk chocolate. You can have all my dark choc.

[Elliot]

Chocolate.

LOL.... And you know, I hate dark chocolate. if I was black I'd be pissed off being identified with the worst chocolate in the world.

Dark chocolate is lovely wtf

White chocolate is the worst... it’s just sickly and tastes like sugary gunk

[Livia]

Dark chocolate is lovely wtf

Well Montblanc and Elliot, I have to inform you that you're both wrong. Milk chocolate is the best, all day long. And my decision is final on this.........

Agree about the white chocolate though. Urgghhhh.....

[Vicky.]

Milk chocolate is far superior to any other. However, dark chocolate beats white for me usually. Mind, I do sometimes get random cravings for bourneville bars. I can't eat much dark or white without feeling sickly. I can eat family sized bars of milk in one sitting and feel fine (though my hips wouldn't thank me for it) :laugh:

[user104658]

If they were trying to represent Jews, then I'd agree.

But they weren't.

They were selling chocolate ducks.

What if its bill was circumcised though.

[Niamh.]

I have no idea and that is a very good question.

Did you know that Easter is named after the pagan Goddess, Oestre, a fertility goddess that gives her name to Oestrogen, the female hormone. Her symbols are eggs, being a fertility goddess, and the hare. Germans have the Easter hare and not the bunny... I feel like I say all this every Easter.

No ducks though.

Ducks lay eggs? :smug:

[Livia]

What if its bill was circumcised though.

Its bill? What do you think circumcision is TS...?

[Livia]

Duck lay eggs? :smug:

Eggs. Ha! Get out of here with your common sense...

[Matthew.]

No this isn’t racist :skull: And £8 for that is ridiculous :oh:

Also, dark chocolate is grim :/

So Team Livia in all aspects here :hugesmile: (Edit: TiBB’s Livia, that is)

[Twosugars]

What if its bill was circumcised though.

:laugh3:

[Twosugars]

I'm not saying it is intentionally racist, but it is unfortunate.
What if a black kid got those ducks for Easter and asked: why the dark one is ugly?
There's no need for that. The naming was stupid. Two named after something neutral/positive and one ugly.

[Twosugars]

From what I remember from my church-going childhood, only lambs and eggs are associated with Easter. Lamb is a symbol of Jesus Christ and eggs new life.
The rest is odd. But it goes for Christmas too when Lindt has a chocolate bear among other things. wtf?

[Oliver_W]

tbh companies should start saying "we're sorry you feel that way" and leave it at that.

[Livia]

I'm not saying it is intentionally racist, but it is unfortunate.
What if a black kid got those ducks for Easter and asked: why the dark one is ugly?
There's no need for that. The naming was stupid. Two named after something neutral/positive and one ugly.

If the kid got those ducks and asked, why is the dark one ugly? They could tell him that actually, the ugly one turns out to be the best one of all...

Or, they could tell him that it's just CHOCOLATE, stop making a racist issue where none was intended.

Are there any black members on this thread? I'd be interested to know their take on this.

[Twosugars]

If the kid got those ducks and asked, why is the dark one ugly? They could tell him that actually, the ugly one turns out to be the best one of all...

Or, they could tell him that it's just CHOCOLATE, stop making a racist issue where none was intended.

Are there any black members on this thread? I'd be interested to know their take on this.

Nah, the names given to those ducks were stupid and that's that on that.

[Niamh.]

If the kid got those ducks and asked, why is the dark one ugly? They could tell him that actually, the ugly one turns out to be the best one of all...

Or, they could tell him that it's just CHOCOLATE, stop making a racist issue where none was intended.

Are there any black members on this thread? I'd be interested to know their take on this.

Me too actually. Was I wrong in thinking the person who complained was white? To me it seems stupid, it's just chocolate, I can't even imagine why it would even enter someones head to equate dark chocolate to black people, to me that's more offensive. Actually as a white person I'm offended because that means I'm the white chocolate and that's clearly the worst one :oh:

[Dogeatdog]

Me too actually. Was I wrong in thinking the person who complained was white? To me it seems stupid, it's just chocolate, I can't even imagine why it would even enter someones head to equate dark chocolate to black people, to me that's more offensive. Actually as a white person I'm offended because that means I'm the white chocolate that's that's clearly the worst one :oh:

I agree, I thought the whole point was that not many people choose to buy dark chocolate hence the reason this duck being the ugly one.

However, another thing that puzzles me is that people are paid a lot of money to come up with new ideas for products that should not cause any offence. So how in the hell did something like this manage to slip by?

[Kazanne]

If the kid got those ducks and asked, why is the dark one ugly? They could tell him that actually, the ugly one turns out to be the best one of all...

Or, they could tell him that it's just CHOCOLATE, stop making a racist issue where none was intended.

Are there any black members on this thread? I'd be interested to know their take on this.

I agree with this maybe we should just ban anything brown or black ffs,it's ridiculous ,its dark chocolate and they all have the same faces ,some people are just crazy:huh::crazy: