Nestle apologizes, retracts Kitkat bars wrappers with Hindu Deities

The chocolate bars emblazoned with images of Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra, and Mata Subhadra have aroused concerns that they would surely be thrown away in bins and on the streets, according to the newspaper.

The KitKat wrapper with an image of Lord Jagannath has just lately gained attention, eliciting mixed comments on social media.
One Twitter user said, "Kindly delete the pictures…they could even be walked on accidently."

According to the Daily Mail, Nestle was forced to suspend a line of KitKat bars coated in wrappers depicting Hindu gods due to a strong outcry in India.

The KitKat wrapper with an image of Lord Jagannath has gained attention | Wikimedia Commons

"We wanted to inspire people to learn more about the art and the individuals that make it. We recognize the sensitivity of the situation and apologize if we have offended anyone's feelings accidentally."

Also read: Nestle Pays Starbucks $7.1bn to Sell its Coffee

The KitKat bars that were found to be insulting to Hindus were first distributed in Odisha. Nestle is the latest in a long line of businesses that have had to apologize to Hindus in recent years.

Tanishq, a jewellery business, apologized and retracted an advertisement portraying what looked to be a Hindu daughter-in-law of a Muslim family in 2020.

Similar problems have erupted in recent years at companies such as Zomato, Unilever, and Manyavar, according to the article.

(IANS/PR)

(Keywords: Nestle, KitKat bars, Hindu deities, Zomato, Unilever, and Manyavar, Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra, and Mata Subhadra)