Walmart to remove Juneteenth-themed ice cream amid the outrage on social media
2 min read
Image: Walmart
Walmart has removed its Juneteenth-themed ice cream tub amid the growing backlash by users on social media.
The departmental store included the ice cream alongside new merchandise and other party decorations to commemorate the day.
Customers however were not impressed by Walmart’s new display. They slammed the store for profiting from a black holiday. They further called out Walmart for trademarking the phrase ‘Juneteenth’ which is one of the integral parts of black history.
Walmart’s Juneteenth ice cream was criticized on social media platforms
Walmart recently launched a Juneteenth-themed ice cream. It was packaged in green, red, yellow, and brown which are the official colors of Black History Month. The product further included a version of the day’s logo on the tub.
The ice cream comprised swirls of flavors of red velvet and cheesecake.
The label on the ice cream tub read,’ Share and celebrate African-American culture, emancipation, and enduring hope’.
I've got a little time tonight, so I've inquired about it. #Juneteenth pic.twitter.com/jd5O4opWMG
— Chris Lovingood WRAL (@LovingoodTV) May 23, 2022
Journalist Chris Lovingood shared his thoughts on Twitter. He inquired about the trademark situation and further questioned how the brand’s new merchandise will help the black community.
Lovingood mentioned in one of his tweets that there were about 32 trademarks filed for the word ‘Juneteenth’.
Many social media users asked Walmart their real intention behind introducing the product. They believe that it is one of the ways for the store to earn profit.
One of the users took to Twitter to criticize the company. She wrote, ‘Capitalism is a retail conglomerate, owned by a white billionaire family, marketing and ice cream to celebrate a holiday that commemorates the emancipation of slaves in a country that was literally built on the backs of slaves. See Walmart’s ice cream.’
Walmart pulled the ice cream off their shelves and issued an apology.
Walmart told Fox, ‘We received feedback that a few items caused concern for some of our customers and we sincerely apologize. We are reviewing our assortment and will remove items as appropriate.’
capitalism is awesome pic.twitter.com/QIzWBbnkSO
— mullet o'brien (@borgposting) May 23, 2022
What is Juneteenth?
Back in 1863, President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation that ended slavery. It freed more than three million enslaved people in Confederacy.
It took two more years for the situation to change for the black community enslaved in Galveston, Texas.
Juneteenth commemorates the day when the Union soldiers arrived in Galveston on 19th June 1865 to bring the news to free the enslaved people.
President Joe Biden announced he day to be celebrated as a federal holiday, last year.
