Not a Good Look: UK Grocer Pulls 'Ugly'-Named Chocolate Duckies After Complaints of Racism

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The labeling of a chocolate duck like this one was the source of controversy for a U.K. grocery chain.
The labeling of a chocolate duck like this one was the source of controversy for a U.K. grocery chain.
Photo: iStock

There’s the old adage that good things come in threes:

Huey, Dewey and Louie.

Image for article titled Not a Good Look: UK Grocer Pulls 'Ugly'-Named Chocolate Duckies After Complaints of Racism
Screenshot: DisneyXD/YouTube

Snap, Crackle and Pop.

Image for article titled Not a Good Look: UK Grocer Pulls 'Ugly'-Named Chocolate Duckies After Complaints of Racism
Photo: Getty
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Or perhaps the Holy Trinity itself: Destiny’s Child.

Image for article titled Not a Good Look: UK Grocer Pulls 'Ugly'-Named Chocolate Duckies After Complaints of Racism
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But for a U.K. grocery chain selling a trio of chocolate ducks just in time for Easter, what came in threes was the latest trite display of what is too often the triumvirate of racism: disrespect, disregard and degradation.

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Meet Crispy, Fluffy and Ugly, three little duckies — but why the brown (milk chocolate) and black (dark chocolate) ones got to be designated “crispy” and “ugly” tho?

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The chocolate ducklings were on sale at the Waitrose grocery chain in the U.K. The chain pulled the duckies and revised the labeling, but not before getting a number of complaints, including one from @livia_aliberti.

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“Overheard women saying ‘this is not right,’ I agree, doesn’t look good at all,” she tweeted.

In a statement to CNN, Waitrose offered an apology:

“We are very sorry for any upset caused by the name of this product, it was absolutely not our intention to cause any offence,” reads the statement.

“We removed the product from sale several weeks ago while we changed the labeling and our ducklings are now back on sale.”

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Le sigh.