Tesco has ignited a firestorm of criticism from shoppers after making controversial changes to its festive product labelling, removing the word 'Christmas' from some of its most traditional items.
Festive Furore Over Name Changes
The supermarket giant has infuriated customers by labelling what was traditionally known as Christmas cake as simply 'fruit cake'. This move follows the recent decision to rename Christmas trees as 'evergreen trees' in stores, prompting accusations of hypocrisy and attempts to rebrand the festive season.
Angry shoppers have taken to social media to express their outrage, with many branding the supermarket as 'hypocritical' and accusing it of undermining Christmas traditions while still profiting from the season. One user commented: 'Tesco doesn't want you to have Christmas anymore but they'll still happily take your money.'
Public Backlash and Celebrity Criticism
Another customer highlighted the contradiction with Tesco's own advertising, writing: 'Tesco tv advert, and I quote, 'A Time for Sticking to Traditions'... So in store you have 'green trees' not Christmas trees, iced fruit cake, not Christmas cake!!! You bunch of absolute hypocrites. Stop trying to appease a minority, idiotic.'
The controversy has escalated to the point where some customers are calling for a complete boycott of the supermarket. Olympic medalist Sharron Davies joined the criticism, stating unequivocally: 'It's a Christmas tree that people put up at Christmas to celebrate Christmas!'
Tesco's Defence and Wider Context
In response to the growing backlash, a Tesco spokesperson defended the changes, saying: 'We are proudly celebrating Christmas at Tesco and sell a wide range of Christmas products, both in store in aisles with our "Merry Christmas" signage, and online in a dedicated Christmas section of our website.'
The spokesperson explained that 'the product names are designed to help customers understand what is in the pack', whether that includes mince pies, a yule log or a fruit cake.
This isn't an isolated incident in the UK. In 2022, the University of Brighton advised staff not to use the term 'Christmas', suggesting instead the 'winter closure period'. More recently in 2023, Christmas markets across the country, including in County Durham, were rebranded as 'winter markets' in efforts to be more inclusive.
