They faced criticism online for the design
Bath & Body Works have been forced to apologise after critics claimed their candles looked like a KKK meeting.
The retail chain recently released a ‘Snowed In’ candle which featured a white pattern, thought to be a paper snowflake, on a red backdrop.
However, the unfortunate pattern caused uproar on social media as critics argued it resembled the hoods and robes worn by the white supremacist group.
On a Reddit thread one customer said: “I know it’s one of those paper snowflakes, but I can’t be the only one who sees ‘it,’ right….RIGHT??”
Meanwhile, an influencer who is a self-described ‘candle-hoarder’ took to Instagram to call out the company.
However, some people responded trying to quell the uproar. One commenter wrote: “People are so soft and offended by everything these days. It looks like a school snowflake cutout. Stop the fake outrage.”
Following the backlash, the company explained that the designers did not intend to mimic the KKK outfit and removed the item from its website and retail stores.
In a statement they said: “At Bath & Body Works, we are committed to listening to our teams and customers and committed to fixing any mistakes we make – even those that are unintentional like this one.
“We apologize to anyone we’ve offended and are swiftly working to have this item removed and are evaluating our process going forward.”
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The brand has found itself in hot water with consumers before due to poor decisions regarding new products.
To celebrate Black History Month in 2022, the company released a product line that featured Kente cloth designs.
People in Ghana started to wear such clothing during ceremonial events and special occasions, according to Baylor University.
Although the company partnered with organizations such as the National Urban League, a civil rights group, on the 2022 campaign, some still accused the group of cultural appropriation.
At the time they were forced to issue a statement defending themselves which read: “The company is committed to improving our culture through our diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, and part of that work has been to celebrate cultural milestones and moments – including Black History Month.”
They also pledged to donate $500,000 to support the non-profit’s work.
