Are you offended by the Greggs Christmas Advert?
The iconic Greggs sausage roll has caused lots of controversy over the last couple of days.
Greggs has apologised for placing a sausage roll in the Nativity scene to advertise its Advent calendar.
The chain faced a call for a boycott from the chief executive of the Freedom Association, who claimed the product was “sick” and the Newcastle-based firm had insulted Christianity in a way it would “never dare” other religions.
The £24 advent calendar is available in selected shops and behind each door is a voucher for one of its treats.
The firm’s decision to use a publicity image of the Three Wise Men around the crib with the baby Jesus replaced by a sausage roll has caused controversy.
A Greggs spokesman said: “We’re really sorry to have caused any offence, this was never our intention.”
Simon Richards, chief executive of the Freedom Association, called for a public protest.
The Rev Mark Edwards, of St Matthew’s Church in Dinnington and St Cuthbert’s Church in Brunswick, said Greggs had been “disrespectful”.
He told the Newcastle-based Chronicle: “It goes beyond just commercialism, it’s showing a total disregard and disrespect towards one of the greatest stories ever told, and I think people of all faiths will be offended by this.”
The advert created a debate on the Greggs Facebook page, with a minority of comments complaining about the scene and most people welcoming the product.
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Comedian Bob Mortimer wrote on Twitter: “Come on KFC … show Greggs the way … put a miniature Jesus in all your Christmas buckets.”
What are your views? Does it leave a bad taste in your mouth? Are you offended? Or is it just a bit of fun?
What are your views?
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Three hungry Bedouins looking very,very, hungry gazing at the sausage roll. This no crib or manger but merely some wooden structure.
One of the gentlemen has a pepper pot, the other a set of condiments for the sausage roll.
Not disrespectful !! Go out into the shops at the moment and see some of the attitudes that such ornaments are put into the displays,-that really is disrespectful.
Thanks for getting in touch with us about our Advent Calendar. We do appreciate all customer feedback.
We’re very sorry to hear that one of the images in the calendar has caused offence. We’d like to assure you that under no circumstances was this intended to offend you or any of our customers. We’ve passed your feedback across to our Marketing team to consider and they’ve made the decision to immediately replace the image inside the calendar, to avoid any further offence.
Once again we’re genuinely sorry for any upset caused and thank you for taking the time to give us your feedback. We do hope to see you again in the future.
Summer 2018. The Greggs advertising agency will be working hard to find an advert that will work as well.
As someone said, keep Christ in Christmas.
There are more important issues than this PR stunt provocation.
My little plate usually includes mini sausage rolls and other delicacies from Tesco's our local Mecca and the s/rolls are dripping fat and grease ugh.
All the types who criticised my comments should start to think of something of value in our wonderful world.
On a more serious note I do hope this is not the thin end of the wedge, although history suggests it might be. The Bible is quite clear in that Christians will be ridiculed and persecuted, never more than in the last days and these are the last days. Therefore we must brace ourselves for worse is to come.
I'm pleased we live in a society where there remains some free speech. But what remains of that so precious freedom carries with it responsibilities. One may not speak out or otherwise ridicule/villify another person or race or creed. It seems people like Greggs enjoy that freedom but shun the responsibility that comes with it.
If the Christians of the UK shunned Greggs their shareholders and bankers will be screaming at the board.
Grow Up for goodness sake! If you can't promote the product without deliberate attempts to offend, you've no right to be holding the job!
The clowns who really believe this stuff are deluded in their minds. I call myself a Christian as I like helping people everywhere, and have been trouble with the law in all of my 78years.
So good for "Gregg's" for for making me laugh.
Frankly Alexander at any time in life, let alone at 78, I'd be more interested in making peace with God, not rattling his cage. We're all going to face Him, perhaps you sooner than me.
We've had the definitive David Suchet so let's do something different. A Liverpudlian Poirot - most Brits wouldn't know the difference. Our Editor Sally would be cast as Miss Lemon, following her dazzling box office success as Miss Moneypenny I do an amazing take on Captain Hastings - Good Lord! - and we could cast Phillip Hammond to star as Inspector Japp.
If you piled on the pounds with dark chocolate and red wine, I'll temporarily slim down, though I think my lack of height might require some boxes for me to stand on. Seems like Hammond could be out on his ear soon so he'll be looking for a new source of income. How about Andrea Leadsom as Poirot's Russian love interest in the early episodes? Bedecked in expensive jewels and a flowing cape ... could you at least fein attraction?
I couldn't, not for any price.
Film it with hand cranked cameras, for authenticity you understand, not me being tight, in black and white. May even find a place for a Tesco's chicken.
Oh yes, this one's already got legs!
Christmas is commercialised enough without this unnecessary and sick humour directed at it.
My Jewish grand parents instilled in me that we would be persecuted - it wasn't long after the end of the War. My Bible tells me the Body will be persecuted and killed in the end times, and we're in the end times now.
Whilst I'm pleased to live in a country of some free speech, I do hope this isn't the thin end of the wedge.
Respecting other faiths and beliefs is integral to a multi cultural country and that includes Christianity
Not in my household - He's very much at the centre of proceedings.
The majority won’t be offended by it but they should be. Remember what Christmas is about, don’t make a mockery of it. So sad that the season is now all about spending and receiving with the real reason all but forgotten