California teen launches petition calling on Trader Joe’s to change ‘racist packaging
By Chandler Thornton and Alicia Lee | CNN
More than 1,700 people have signed a petition urging Trader Joe’s to change the labeling of some of its international food products, calling the grocery chain’s branding “racist.”
“The grocery chain labels some of its ethnic foods with modifications of “Joe” that belies a narrative of exoticism that perpetuates harmful stereotypes,” says the petition, which Briones Bedell, a high school senior in San Francisco, launched two weeks ago.
It cites “Trader Ming’s,” the grocery chain’s label for its Chinese products, “Arabian Joe,” for its Middle Eastern products, “Trader José,” for its Mexican products, and a handful of others as examples.
“The Trader Joe’s branding is racist because it exoticizes other cultures – it presents ‘Joe’ as the default “normal” and the other characters falling outside of it,” the petition says.
The grocery store chain, which first opened in Pasadena, California, in 1967, said it has already “been in the process of updating order labels, and replacing any variations with the name Trader Joe’s.”
“While this approach to product naming may have been rooted in a lighthearted attempt at inclusiveness, we recognize that it may now have the opposite effect — one that is contrary to the welcoming, rewarding customer experience we strive to create every day,” Kenya Friend-Daniel, a spokeswoman for Trader Joe’s, said in a statement.
“Packaging for a number of the products has already been changed, but there’s a small number of products in which the packaging is still going through the process,” Friend-Daniel added.
Trader Joe’s is the latest in a line of companies to rebrand its products following the widespread protests over racial inequality sparked by the death of George Floyd.
Last month, Quaker Oats announced that it was retiring the 130-year-old Aunt Jemima brand and logo, acknowledging that it was based on a racial stereotype. Uncle Ben’s and Mrs. Butterworth’squickly followed.
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You have got to be kidding. I have no idea where people are coming from. There is nothing wrong with the packaging.
I think people have lost their minds. It’s all been ok till now. If you don’t like their packaging don’t buy their product. You will never please people. Just make everything gray and use a puppy for advertising. But then I’m sure someone would be against that too.
Bring back the old Pathmark No Frills brand.
Laurie Bartman Loved the No Frills stuff.
You gotta be kidding
Speechless…..
I think the governors of all the states should mail a packet to everyone. In said packet it will advise us what we can say and can not say!
Ugh. I wish I could turn in 2020 for a refund. Worst year ever, and we’re barely halfway through it.
Was wondering what made it racist until I zoomed and saw the Jose’s part. I think it’s funny. Plus I’m not offended it’s just Joe in Spanish.
Angel Thomas Munoz still was seeing Joe’s????
Stop stop enough already
Susan, you took the words right out of my fingers. ????
We must have reached a good place as a society when we have so much free time on our hands that we need to find things to be upset about.
A “teen”? A privileged little piece of shit no Bills,No mortgage, no car payment, no kids, probably no education. Teen?
LMFAO!!
Just stop it already!!
Stop this nonsense! We are the melting pot of the world, but it appears that everyones heritage, customs and now even common names need to be eradicated.
Like that guy said in the movie (Clerks 2)
‘Baby you can’t taste racism’…..
It should be up to the people whose nationalities are represented in these labels to decide whether they consider them racist or not and I haven’t heard or read anything about any of them complaining. Just because blacks find everything racist doesn’t mean everybody does. and just because a certain ethnicity is mentioned or portrayed in something doesn’t necessarily make it racist.
Unbelievable
Ban Lucky charms and Irish themed pubs…it is a stereotype and it is offensive…Oh wait the Irish are not thinned skinned like other groups.
Jose’ is the spanish version of Joseph
Ridiculous nonsense
What is so defensive? Any examples??
I’m offended… mostly because I wish I was eating tacos ????
Wow people are really offended by a box of taco shells ???? I wish I had the time to be offended ????
Oh my fucking God ????♂️
Justin Thomas I just said the same thing out loud before I saw your comment.
Justin Thomas exactly! Enough is enough!
Give me a break!!!!
ENOUGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Lisa Ann
People who say everything is racist are racists
Dan Feimer so true, yet they have no clue.
Did this come on the scanner?
Corny as fuck
noooooo
Well that’s just stupid……..this has dick to do with “racism” and everything to do with corporate extortion and shakedowns by scumbag lawyers and fake “social justice” nonsense groups. Nothing more.
Smh
Do people have nothing better to do than sit and think of this stuff? Who cares about label names. It’s not racism it’s just a name that goes with ethnic background for God’s sake. Ooh oops I wrote God. I’m sure I prob offended someone????
I don’t see anything wrong or racist with “Taco shells” it is a type of Mexican food just like calling a food spaghetti. Is that racist against the Italians? I think not! I am so tired of the ridiculous junk going on in our world. How about concentrating on stamping out Covid19. Now there is something I can get behind.
Oh Stop ???? already get a life
Next, someone is gonna be offended that Vanilla Ice Cream is white and Choc is brown. This is just out of control now.
For the love of God stop already!!
They need the publicity
Stop bowing to stupidity !!! Enough is enough with the Racist Bull Shit!
Please STOP!!
Unbelievable, get a grip people ????
Get back to your safe place and finish eating your tide pods, you stupid little twitch.
I’m waiting for a company to say stop crying we aren’t changing anything.
Joe Emanueli I agree!!!
NOPE ????
This is ridiculous now. Has anyone thought maybe joe is just a name?
Absolutely ridiculous!
idk why people are doing this lol we dont care about stuff like this . its in no way racist and THE POLICE WHO KILLED BRIANNA TAYLOR ARE STILL NOT ARRESTED ! ????????
see why kids need help…..this teen is worried about trader joe using jose on the taco label since when did the name jose become racist…..i bet many jose’s are shocked to know this
Seriously. What a moron. How is this rasist