Snickers maker apologises for advert suggesting Taiwan is a country

Reuters via Yahoo ^ | August 5, 2022 | by Eduardo Baptista

[Oldeconomybuyer]

BEIJING (Reuters) - Mars Wrigley, maker of the Snickers candy bar, apologised on Friday for a Snickers product launch which Chinese social media users said suggested that Taiwan was a country.

Videos and pictures showing a Snickers website promoting a limited edition Snickers bar and saying the product was only available in the "countries" of South Korea, Malaysia and Taiwan triggered an outpour of anger on Chinese microblogging platform Weibo on Friday.

Mars Wrigley later published an apology on its Snickers China Weibo account and said the relevant content had been amended.

"Mars Wrigley respects China's national sovereignty and territorial integrity and conducts its business operations in strict compliance with local Chinese laws and regulations," Mars Wrigley added.

However, the social media backlash did not abate as many users were irate that the U.S. company's statement did not say Taiwan was a part of China, a cornerstone of Chinese foreign policy.

"Say it: Taiwan is an inseparable part of China's territory!" read one comment underneath the post on Snickers China Weibo account that received 8,000 likes.

[DoughtyOne]

We have some of the biggest pussies known to man in our
corporate structures these days.

[wetgundog]

The Republic of China IS A Country, event though most of the world would not like it to be. F the PRC.

[NicoDon]

Say it!: Taiwan holds the legitimate government of all of China, while China’s government is the heir of one of the greatest mass murderers in history.

[lee martell]

You’ve got to be kidding me!
Are ALL the top 100 American industries afraid of what China thinks?

[Dragonspirit]

Taiwan is an independent country. American companies are cowards.

[BenLurkin]

Guess what. The Republic of China IS a nation — and the legitimate government of all of China.

[Sgt_Schultze]

Forrest Mars wasn’t the wanker as his progeny has become.

[NicoDon]

All they see is limitless cheap labor and a market 4 times the size of the US that they want to sell to.

[dfwgator]

It started when the International Olympic Committee caved and forced them to march as “Chinese Taipei” with the Olympic flag instead of the ROC Flag.

[hanamizu]

We have some of the biggest pussies known to man in our corporate structures these days.

---

Taiwan has a population of 24 million potential Snickers customers. Red China has 1.4 billion potential Snickers eaters. If your job is to sell candy bars as opposed to making foreign policy, the apology makes sense.

[Jim W N]

I always thought Taiwan was a country after it split from China.

[dfwgator]

“Gracefully surrender the things of youth: birds, clean air, tuna, Taiwan.”

[Lurkinanloomin]

Since Nixon, official US policy has been that Taiwan belongs to Red China.
It was the price he paid for the opening of China.

[PIF]

Let me be among the first to apologize for not eating Snickers.

[seowulf]

They must sell a lot of Halloween candy in China.

[Jim W N]

Aside from politicians like Nixon whose legacy is highly questionable IMO, I’m not sure what is the just and true status of Taiwan.

I always thought they had a right to be independent from the ruthless and deadly Chinese Communist Government and Regime.

[DoughtyOne]

Selling out the natural rights of 24 million people into
essentially bondage, doesn’t sound like reasoned moral
judgement to me.

Sometimes it goes beyond the financial considerations.

I know you make a sound argument, but I sure don’t agree
with it.

[hanamizu]

I know you make a sound argument, but I sure don’t agree with it.

---

I don’t know if I agree with it either! But if I were in charge of Mars Wrigley I can see how I’d have to make the call. The apology changes nothing for the 24 million souls in the R.O.C., except perhaps their enthusiasm for Snickers bars. It’s not like what Nixon did.

[Lurker]

Tell the ChiComs to pound sand.

L