Bathtub and Physique Works has stopped promoting its new winter-themed candle over backlash from customers who stated its design resembled Ku Klux Klan hoods.

The controversy got here to the forefront after some commenters on-line criticized the retailer for the paper snowflake design because it resembled the hoods worn by Klansmembers.

The Ku Klux Klan is a U.S. white supremacist group shaped in 1865 to inflict violence and terror in opposition to Black People. The imagery of the KKK hood has develop into a hate image, in line with the Anti-Defamation League.

Bathtub and Physique Works Canada shared an apology in regards to the Snowed In candle with CTVNews.ca on Friday, saying it was a mistake.

“At Bathtub and Physique Works, we’re dedicated to listening to our groups and prospects and dedicated to fixing any errors we make — even these which can be unintentional like this one,” the corporate stated in an emailed assertion.

“We apologize to anybody we’ve offended and are swiftly working to have this merchandise eliminated and evaluating our course of going ahead.”

The candle attracted numerous consideration on-line when it was first reportedly unveiled final week.

“How did they not see that coming? glad they took it down tho. Generally firms really want to double-check their designs earlier than dropping them,” wrote X consumer Nathalie Could (@nathaliemayy) on Oct. 10, which was amongst feedback in response to a TMZ put up in regards to the candle.

“It seems like little Alien Klansmen,” wrote one other consumer referred to as Тσnι (@DymeLatte).

However not everybody agreed it was offensive.

“That is really simply silly,” ChaoticNerd (@nerds4nerds) wrote. “There’s nothing racist about this. Persons are searching for causes to race bait.”

Candles have develop into a staple for the corporate past soaps and lotions. Its holiday-scented candles make up practically 40 per cent of its annual gross sales, in line with an analyst.

With recordsdata from CNN