Local supermarket called out over 'problematic' display
Patrons of Pick 'n Pay St. Peter's Square in Observatory, Cape Town found fault with some of the mugs displayed on the store's shelves.
Designs on crockery have changed to include intricate patterns, fun colours and quirky sayings over the years, helping us all to put some personality into our kitchens. And who doesn't enjoy the occasional "Kiss the Cook" joke?
But it seems that Pick 'n Pay St. Peter's Square in Observatory, Cape Town has taken these tongue-in-cheek designs a touch too far.
A few patrons of the supermarket posted pictures of two mugs with the words "the gardener" and "the maid" painted on them, citing the message as "problematic".
hi @PicknPay these mugs were on the shelf at your obs store. finding them hella problematic. pic.twitter.com/GuqEEIl6Cb
— toni toni ton'z (@toni_verna) October 30, 2018
Toni Philander said she was so offended by the mugs that she immediately reported them to customer care. Philander and others took issue with the implication that the mugs would be used to keep domestic workers and gardeners away from their employers' "good" crockery.
In South Africa, domestic labour has a long history of dehumanization and racism attached to it. One method was and still is to deny helpers use of household crockery and cutlery as they were considered unworthy and unhygienic. This labeling encourages that idea.
— Jamil F. Khan (@JamilFarouk) October 30, 2018
Next to "the maid" and "the gardener", there was reportedly a mug for "the chef". A spokesperson said that the mugs were being sold by a franchisee and are not in stock at any other Pick 'n Pay branch. They have since been removed from the shelves at the Observatory store.
Some have said Philander is overreacting, even given the historical context within which the store is selling the mugs. They added that if such mugs are offensive, then all merchandise containing the word "mom" (which would usually be found on shelves around Mother's Day) should also be removed from stores.
What do you think: did Philander and others overreact, or do stores have to take South Africa's history into consideration when stocking their shelves?