Tesco Faces Backlash Over Gender-Neutral Gingerbread Biscuits
Tesco has ignited a fierce debate by following competitors Morrisons and Sainsbury's in renaming its "Free From" gingerbread biscuits from "Gingerbread Men" to gender-neutral "Gingerbread People". The supermarket giant's decision has provoked outrage among customers, with many taking to social media to express their frustration and label the change as "pathetic" and excessively "woke".
Customer Reactions: From Mockery to Anger
Angry shoppers have flooded online platforms with criticism, arguing that the traditional name should remain unchanged. One customer sarcastically commented, "Run run as fast as you can, you can’t catch me I am the gingerbread person? Tesco this is pathetic." Another added, "As the saying goes ‘Go woke, Go broke’. It’s a gingerbread man always has been and always will be."
A third shopper questioned the rationale behind the move, stating, "Cannot really understand why they changed Gingerbread Man into Gingerbread People. It is NOT ‘Offensive’, ‘Racist’, or even ‘Bad Language’ saying ‘Gingerbread MAN’. Tesco really needs to explain themselves here, why did they change the name of them?"
Industry-Wide Shift Towards Inclusivity
Tesco is not alone in this controversial rebranding effort. Morrisons previously made a similar change, citing a desire to "promote inclusivity to all" based on customer feedback. A Morrisons spokesperson confirmed, "Following customer feedback, we changed this to provide inclusivity to all." Sainsbury's has also faced criticism for selling gingerbread people, with one shopper quipping online, "I wonder where they are personfactured."
Expert Analysis on Cultural Marginalisation
Professor Frank Furedi, Emeritus Professor of Sociology at the University of Kent, weighed in on the controversy, explaining the public's reaction. He said, "The reaction to it is understandable. It’s not just that people had a certain vocabulary beforehand, but in effect the language they have used in relation to ‘man’ and ‘woman’ is something that becomes culturally marginalised, and they become dispossessed of their voice."
Furedi further questioned the driving forces behind such changes, adding, "Often people say ‘why aren’t these people keeping up with the changing reality’ but who decides what that changing reality is?"
Political Criticism and Historical Precedents
The debate over gender-neutral gingerbread is not new. In 2018, the Scottish Parliament's coffee shop began selling gingerbread people, a move that drew criticism from Conservative Party MSP Annie Wells. She branded it "an utterly pointless gesture which simply trivialises the real issues of gender equality".
As supermarkets continue to navigate the delicate balance between tradition and inclusivity, the gingerbread controversy highlights broader societal tensions over language, culture, and identity in modern retail environments.
