Bath & Body Works said it has stopped selling a candle adorned with a snowflake cutout image that some people claimed resembled Ku Klux Klan hoods.
The bath and home product chain also apologized for the candle’s imagery, which depicts a white-paper cutout of snowflakes with arms with pointed tips, each with two circular holes. Some online commenters noted that the design resembled KKK hoods.
Bath & Body Works said the imagery was “unintentional.”
“At Bath & Body Works, we are committed to listening to our teams and customers, and committed to fixing any mistakes we make — even those that are unintentional like this one,” the company said in an email sent to CBS MoneyWatch. “We apologize to anyone we’ve offended and are swiftly working to have this item removed and are evaluating our process going forward.”
The candle also sparked discussion on Reddit, with users creating a thread called “KKKKandles.” Some users pointed out that candlelight could shine through the holes in the snowflakes when the item is lit.
“Oh god the background colors and the little holes in the label make it look like they are standing in front of a fire … the bad kind of fire lol,” one user wrote on Reddit.
The three-wick candle, which was scented with “creamy buttermint, sweet musk and cozy vanilla,” is no longer available at Bath & Body Works’ website, but it is currently available on reseller sites. One eBay listing is asking $350 for the Snowed In candle, while other sellers have listed the canceled candle for between $75 to $175.
“I’m pretty sure Bath & Body works didn’t envision anything other than a snowflake. That being said, I can’t unsee the reason they have been pulled from shelves,” one commenter noted on X, the former Twitter.
Bath & Body Works is known for its holiday products, with the store rolling out special fragrances and products for Halloween, Christmas and winter. Some of its other new products include a three-wick candle with “hot cocoa and cream” scent and another called “Leaves,” which the company says smells like “basically everything you love about fall.”
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