Morrisons bosses appear to be confused about the £1.39 snack, because while the website and shelf labels call them

Morrisons takes biscuits for the kitchen as supermarket chain rebrands to ‘gingerbread person’

A gingerbread PERSON? Morrisons takes the biscuit to work as supermarket chain updates gingerbread men after receiving complaints from shoppers

  • Morrisons has given gingerbread men a gender-neutral makeover for ‘inclusivity’
  • Traditional biscuit has been renamed a “gingerbread person” by the supermarket
  • Campaigners for men called the rebrand “a stingy attack on a traditional biscuit”
  • A Morrisons shopper said: “Maybe now it needs to be rewritten to ‘Run, run at maximum effort!’ You can’t catch me. I’m the gingerbread person!’

They’ve been a much-loved treat for more than 200 years, but now Morrisons have updated the gingerbread men – with a gender-neutral makeover.

The traditional biscuit has been renamed a ‘gingerbread person’ by the supermarket in the name of ‘inclusivity’ after receiving complaints from shoppers.

But even Morrisons bosses appear to be confused by the £1.39 snack – because while the website and shelf labels use the new term, the packets the biscuits come in still say gingerbread ‘man’.

Mike Buchanan of the campaign group Justice For Men & Boys attacks the rebranding as “a hasty attack on a traditional biscuit”: “These kinds of complaints always come from chronically whiny, spiteful harpies who have nothing better to do with their time. Instead of stand up to them, targeted organizations almost always fold, to their eternal shame.’

Morrisons bosses appear to be confused about the £1.39 snack, because while the website and shelf labels call them ‘gingerbread person’, the packets the biscuits come in still say gingerbread ‘man’

A Morrisons spokesperson, or perhaps spokesperson, said: “Following feedback from customers, we have changed this to provide everyone with inclusion.”

It is not the first time that the treat has changed its name. The Scottish Parliament cafe began selling gingerbread people in 2018, prompting Conservative MSP Annie Wells to label it a “completely pointless” gesture that simply downplays the real issues of gender equality. Sainsbury’s is also selling gingerbread people, prompting comments online from shoppers such as “I wonder where they are personalized”.

Pret A Manger has human-shaped ‘gingerbread biscuits’, as does Tesco – although the supermarket still sells mini gingerbread cookies.

Costa Coffee avoids the issue of a Santa biscuit, but a character on its festive cups is ‘Ginger, the pepperbread person’.

Greggs, Waitrose and McVitie’s have stuck with gingerbread men.

The first documented occurrence of human-shaped gingerbread was at the court of Elizabeth I. He became a fairy tale character in 1875, with the story of a childless old woman who bakes one, but he then comes to life and escapes.

Later versions had him taunting his creator with the line: ‘Run, run as fast as you can! You can’t catch me. I’m the gingerbread man!

A Morrisons shopper said: “Maybe now it needs to be rewritten to ‘Run, run at maximum effort!’ You can’t catch me. I’m the gingerbread person!’

And see what else has been “reawakened”

MIDGA gems

Earlier this year, Marks and Spencer changed the name of its Midget Gem sweets to Mini Gems to avoid offending people with dwarfism. Tesco and Morrisons followed suit.

CARTOON SCHOOL CHILDREN

The Beano has been happily charting the exploits of The Bash Street Kids since 1954. But last year Fatty and Spotty became Freddy and Scotty, with fears the original names could encourage bullying.

SPOTTED COCK

The traditional suet and dried fruit pudding was renamed Spotted Richard by House of Commons restaurant staff in case its real name caused offence. The change was never official, but Piers Morgan branded the oversensitive waiters “a bunch of Richard heads”.

MANSIZE FABRICS

Kleenex renamed “mansize” tissues as simply “extra large” after complaints that the description was sexist.

Kleenex Mansize tissues and normal tissues are shown side by side.  Kleenex renamed

Kleenex Mansize tissues and normal tissues are shown side by side. Kleenex renamed “mansize” tissues as simply “extra large” after complaints that the description was sexist.

STREET WELL CAP

In California, Berkeley’s city council has ordered them to be called “maintenance pits”—though the practice hasn’t (yet) spread to this side of the Atlantic.

MASTER BEDROOM

The term “master bedroom” has been dropped by lots of estate agents due to perceived allusions to sexism and slavery. Buyers are instead shown the “primary” bedroom.

RELIABLE AND HARD WORKING STAFF

Recruitment agency manager Nicole Mamo was told she could not place an advert at the Jobcentre in Thetford, Norfolk, looking for hard-working and reliable employees as it could be offensive to lazy and unreliable people. As if they could care to complain…

Advertisement

#Morrisons #takes #biscuits #kitchen #supermarket #chain #rebrands #gingerbread #person

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *