Nestle to rename Chicos, Red Skins
Two iconic Aussie lollies will be renamed to avoid offence, prompting angry consumers to threaten boycotting all Nestle products. But what should the names be changed to?
VIC News
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The name of Red Skins and Chicos lollies will be changed to avoid offence.
Food manufacturing giant Nestle has announced it plans to scrap and replace the names.
“This decision acknowledges the need to ensure that nothing we do marginalises our friends, neighbours and colleagues,” the company said.
“These names have overtones which are out of step with Nestle’s values, which are rooted in respect.
“While new names have not yet been finalised, we will move quickly to change these names.”
Some shoppers have slammed the move as over the top and threatened a boycott.
“You people have lost the plot. I will no longer be purchasing any of your products and will be urging my family and friends to do the same. The whole world has gone mad,” one wrote on Facebook.
The decision was also labelled “ridiculous”, “stupid” and “political correctness overload”.
But others praised it, commenting: “Times change and we as people need to change with them” and “This is great, these names never affected me but have always made me feel uncomfortable …”
Gideon Rozner, director of policy at the Institute of Public Affairs think tank, said Nestle should focus on “creating jobs, providing value for its shareholders, and making lollies”.
“This is getting exhausting,” Mr Rozner said.
“Cancel culture, in the main, seem to be driven by noisy activists getting offended on behalf of others.
“It’s difficult to work out who, if anyone, is actually helped by this kind of corporate posturing.”
Both products, marketed under the Allen’s brand, are sold only in Australia and have been available for decades.
Critics say the term Red Skins is derogatory and racially insensitive to Native Americans, and Chico is disparaging to Latin Americans.
Red Skins’ packaging was stripped of a photo and cartoon of Native Americans in the 1990s.
A backlash against racism has swept the globe in the wake of American George Floyd’s death in police custody last month.
Nestle’s decision follows renewed debate over the appropriateness of the name of popular cheese brand Coon.
There’s also been calls for Colonial Brewing Company, an Australian beer brand, to rename.
TV shows and movies including Fawlty Towers’ famous Don’t Mention The War! episode; Gone with the Wind; and some Chris Lilley comedy series have also been censored.
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ALL THE TV SHOWS AND MOVIES REMOVED FROM OUR SCREENS