Bath & Body Works faces backlash over offensive candle design

Oct 15, 2024

Karah Rucker Anchor/Reporter

By Karah Rucker (Anchor/Reporter), Mirlie Larose (Producer), Emma Stoltzfus (Video Editor)

What was intended to be a festive holiday product turned into a public relations issue for Bath & Body Works. The company’s “Snowed In” candle was pulled from shelves after online critics pointed out that its label design resembled something far more offensive than a winter wonderland.

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The snowflake design, which was meant to celebrate the winter season, bore an unsettling resemblance to the white hoods worn by members of the Klu Klux Klan.

A spokesperson for Bath & Body Works stated that the resemblance was unintentional and emphasized the company’s commitment to listening to its customers and correcting mistakes.

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In a statement to the Washington Post, the company apologized to anyone who was offended and confirmed that the candle was being swiftly removed from stores.

This controversy occurred at a critical time for Bath & Body Works, as the holiday season accounts for more than a third of the retailer’s annual sales.

Employees were reportedly instructed to remove the candle labels and dispose of them in opaque trash bags.

Meanwhile, some customers who purchased the candles before they were pulled have been reselling them on eBay, with prices wrangling from $125-$360.

Online, the candle has been mockingly nicknamed “Klandle” and “Klan Krismas Kandle.”

The backlash has tapped into larger concerns, as Klan imagery remains a powerful hate symbol. According to FBI reports, hate crimes against Black Americans made up 30% of reported incidents last year, with anti-Jewish crimes accounting for 11%.

Tags: Holiday shopping, Racism, Social Media

Karah Rucker

WHAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A COZY, HOLIDAY CANDLE TURNED INTO A PR NIGHTMARE FOR BATH AND BODY WORKS.

THE COMPANY’S “SNOWED IN” CANDLE HAS BEEN PULLED FROM SHELVES AFTER CRITICS ONLINE POINTED OUT THAT THE LABEL DESIGN RESEMBLED SOMETHING FAR MORE OFFENSIVE THAN A WINTER WONDERLAND.

THE SNOWFLAKE DESIGN, MEANT TO START OFF THE WINTER SEASON, LOOKED TOO MUCH LIKE THE WHITE HOODS WORN BY MEMBER OF THE KLU KLUX KLAN.

A SPOKESPERSON FOR BATH AND BODY WORKS SAID THE RESEMBLANCE WAS “UNINTENTIONAL” AND THAT THE COMPANY IS COMMITTED TO LISTENING TO ITS CUSTOMERS AND FIXING ANY MISTAKES.

IN A STATEMENT TO THE WASHINGTON POST, THEY APOLOGIZED TO ANYONE OFFENDED AND ASSURED THAT THE CANDLE WAS BEING SWIFTLY REMOVED FROM STORES.

THIS MISSTEP COMES AT A CRUCIAL TIME FOR BATH AND BODY WORKS. THE HOLIDAY SEASON IS KEY FOR THE RETAILER, AS IT ACCOUNTS FOR MORE THAN A THIRD OF THEIR ANNUAL SALES.

EMPLOYEES HAVE REPORTEDLY BEEN INSTRUCTED TO REMOVE THE CANDLE LABELS AND DISPOSE OF THEM IN OPAQUE TRASH BAGS.

MEANWHILE, SOME CUSTOMERS WHO BOUGHT THE CANDLES BEFORE THEY WERE PULLED ARE RESELLING THEM ON EBAY–AT PRICES RANGING FROM ONE-HUNDRED AND-25-DOLLARS TO THREE-HUNDRED-AND-60-DOLLARS.

ONLINE, THE CANDLE HAS BEEN GIVEN NICKNAMES LIKE “KLANDLE” AND “ KLAN KRISMAS KANDLE.”

THE BACKLASH TAPS INTO LARGER CONCERNS, AS KLAN IMAGERY REMAINS A POWERFUL HATE SYMBOL.

THE FBI REPORTS THAT HATE CRIMES AGAINST BLACK AMERICANS MAKE UP 30-PERCENT OF INCIDENTS LAST YEAR, WITH ANTI-JEWISH CRIMES FOLLOWING AT 11-PERCENT.

WE’LL KEEP AN EYE ON HOW THE COMPANY RESPONDS MOVING FORWARD.

FOR SAN, I’M KARAH RUCKER.