Pizza Hut hits back after diner’s complaint about its ‘sexualised’ tomato sauce bottle
news.com.au
November 2, 2021
Area: Yorkshire
Diner Adrian Shann complained last month about a tomato sauce bottle’s wording he believed to be too ‘sexual’ for the family friendly restaurant.
Fast food giant Pizza Hut has replied to a customer who recently expressed his distaste for wording used on one of the retailer’s sauce bottle.
Adrian Shann last month slammed Pizza Hut following a dining experience at its Hull, England, outlet where he likened its tomato sauce label to “an app for swingers”, Ladbible reported.
Mr Shann was unhappy with the bottle’s sticker, which read, “shake, squeeze and squirt”.
“It’s not innocent in my eyes. The barbecue sauce one said ‘squeeze’, but the ketchup one said that … it put me off using it. It literally sounds like an app for swingers,” the 31-year-old said.
“I do not understand how someone could put that sentence together, it’s awful,” he added, also describing it inappropriate due to the venue’s family friendly reputation.
In an email raising his issue with the company, shared with Hull Daily Mail, Mr Shann asked for a full refund and demanded that Pizza Hut rebrand its “sexualised” tomato sauce.
“The sauce logo has to be changed and looked into to make it more child and family friendly, and not distorting people’s minds while trying to eat,” part of the email read.
He requested a A$48 refund for the pizza, drinks and chips he bought, claiming the sight of the sauce bottle “turns my stomach”.
A spokesperson has since responded to his outrage in a comment supplied tothe publication.
“I can only apologise if you were caused any offence or upset on your recent visit to our Hut, please know it is not our intention to make any of our guests feel uncomfortable,” they said.
“The wording on our ketchup is not meant to cause offence and sorry if this was interpreted this way.
“This has been the labelling of all ketchup bottles in our restaurants for some time now, and I can only apologise if this impacted the enjoyment of your meal.”
Mr Shann was not satisfied with the explanation however, and has reportedly raised the matter with his local MP.
“I cannot imagine anyone looking at that sauce as tomato ketchup again,” he said.
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