Charmer asked me to post this for him because he can`t do linky thingys...
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The Daily Mail
Tuesday, 25 August 2009
Is Haribo Corrupting Our Nation's Children?
The other day, while doing our weekly shop, I bought for my two children, Benjamin and Ofelia, a packet of Haribo Maoam lemon-and-lime confectionary. It was only after I was leaving the check-out that I noticed the appaling illustration on the packaging.
This consists of a lemon and a lime locked in what appears to be a carnal encounter. The lime, who I assume to be the gentleman in the coupling, has a particularly distasteful expression on his face.
I demanded to see the shop manager and during a heated exchange my wife became quite distressed and had to sit down in the car park. I was told to register my complaint with the manufacturer.
I'm glad I spotted this before my young children, who are both very sensitive. My wife and I have always tried to maintain their innocence - and to think our years of careful parenting could have been wrecked by, of all things, a sweet wrapper makes me livid.
I received a reply from the company saying that the wrapper design had been introduced in Germany in 2002 with a view to making the fruit figures "more modern and lively" to "better appeal to the consumer".
It said: "At no point was it intended to create sexual images". It had been shown to a number of children and adults of different age groups, none of whom has made any comments referring to the sexual content.
I consider this response less than satisfactory. As a member of our local church, I'm now urging other members of our flock to boycott Haribo products until this illustration is removed.
Simon Simpkins, Pontefract, West Yorks.
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The Daily Mail
Tuesday, 25 August 2009
Is Haribo Corrupting Our Nation's Children?
The other day, while doing our weekly shop, I bought for my two children, Benjamin and Ofelia, a packet of Haribo Maoam lemon-and-lime confectionary. It was only after I was leaving the check-out that I noticed the appaling illustration on the packaging.
This consists of a lemon and a lime locked in what appears to be a carnal encounter. The lime, who I assume to be the gentleman in the coupling, has a particularly distasteful expression on his face.
I demanded to see the shop manager and during a heated exchange my wife became quite distressed and had to sit down in the car park. I was told to register my complaint with the manufacturer.
I'm glad I spotted this before my young children, who are both very sensitive. My wife and I have always tried to maintain their innocence - and to think our years of careful parenting could have been wrecked by, of all things, a sweet wrapper makes me livid.
I received a reply from the company saying that the wrapper design had been introduced in Germany in 2002 with a view to making the fruit figures "more modern and lively" to "better appeal to the consumer".
It said: "At no point was it intended to create sexual images". It had been shown to a number of children and adults of different age groups, none of whom has made any comments referring to the sexual content.
I consider this response less than satisfactory. As a member of our local church, I'm now urging other members of our flock to boycott Haribo products until this illustration is removed.
Simon Simpkins, Pontefract, West Yorks.
but it would benefit from a post script pointing out the sexual inferences in that Werther's buttock candy advert 
