Crisp flavour ‘offensive to Welsh people’ withdrawn
Real Crisps' Welsh Rarebit flavour described the life of 'Rhodri' but people took to Twitter to complain about the message, calling it "stereotyping".
The story of Rhodri said: "Meet Rhodri. Or Rhondda Rodders to the lads down the Lamp & Helmet.
"Like his father, his father and his father before him, this 'real' Welshman was born to swing a pick. But after work he'd rather pick a pack of his favourite Collier's Powerful Welsh Rarebit crisps."
Sell crisps
It added: "Forget other flavours, for him it has to be a bag of the black stuff and a taste so strong it'd put a canary on its back."
Dear Real Crisps,
— Siôn Tomos Owen (@sionmun) November 18, 2018
I know a Rhodri from the Rhondda & not even his “real Welsh” father “swung a pick” because there avn bin a pit in the Rhondda since the 80s.
No one’s buying nostalgia crisps cause ur grandfather died of pneumoconiosis.
Be “Real”.
Sell crisps not bullshit pic.twitter.com/UXszr7IuzB
Shoot the copywriter + sack the marketing agency for this offensive, BS rehash of a tired Welsh stereotype. And cull all the other caricatures knocking about the brand. Utter tripe. Parent company @MrTaytoIreland: have a proper think about what you’re doing, is it? pic.twitter.com/hezjWSkPHv
— Clare Sturges. (@claresturges) November 18, 2018
Its an example of Real Crisps exploiting poorer working conditions outside Wales for its business end, and production end still exploiting Welsh labour. Doesn't matter if they're participants or supporters of the culture or history, what matters is what maximises profit
— apoism i gymru (@apoci_yn_gymru) November 19, 2018
Real Crisps marketing director Matthew Smith said: “We are sorry for any distress that has been caused by the wording on the packets of our Welsh Rarebit-flavoured crisps.
“We certainly didn’t mean to be insensitive. This product was launched more than four years ago and fitted into our range where each flavour has its own tongue-in-cheek caricature."
Feedback response
He added: “Until now, we had not received any feedback, however, recent comments pointing out how the story on the packet could be interpreted now seem really obvious but unfortunately we didn’t pick this up when we were designing the pack.
“We have taken the comments on board and would like to apologised wholeheartedly. We have also started de-listing the product.
“Our customers’ opinions are really important to us. We want them to enjoy Real Crisps and I hope they will see we are responding to their feedback.”
