Heinz apologises as Black family advert sparks outrage

Heinz has issued an apology after it came under fire for an advertisement currently on display in Tube stations across London.

- ANNABEL NUGENT

The food company, known for its ketchup, mayonnaise and baked beans, recently launched an ad campaign for its new family-sized pasta sauces. In one controversial advertisement that has been seen in Tube stations including Vauxhall and Manor House, a family is seen in a wedding scenario.

The poster shows the bride, a Black woman, smiling as she scoops up a forkful of pasta next to a man who is presumably the groom. On her right is an older man and woman, who appear to be the groom’s parents, and on her left is an older Black woman who is supposedly meant to be her mother.

People, however, took issue with the fact that the bride’s father is not pictured, with many suggesting that the ad perpetuates negative stereotypes about Black fathers. In a post that has gone viral on Twitter/X, one person shared a photo of the ad in Vauxhall Tube station, alongside the caption: “For my brothers with daughters. Because, believe it or not, Black girls have dads too.”