Walmart Apologizes for Racial Slur Used as Description of Product on Their Website
Popular retailer Walmart has received backlash for publishing a product advertisement on their website that included a racial slur in the description.
The product in question was a wig cap, which had the color described as "nigger brown." This sparked negative reactions on social media, with thousands of people, including well-known personalities, calling out the retailer for the offensive language.
Walmart has already apologized for the racial slur and said that they will do better next time when it comes to filtering the products added to their website.
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"We are sincerely sorry for the product description which appeared on our website. The third party seller has been completely removed from our site," the company posted on their Twitter page, as a response to those who complained about the racial slur.
"We reviewed why our filters did not catch this offensive language and have put additional steps in place to review items being added to our marketplace," they added.
Walmart also stated in a disclaimer that while their goal has always been to provide an accurate description of products, it is often provided by suppliers, manufacturers, and other sources. The posting, however, has allegedly not been verified by the retailer chain.
Chizo Onuh, the owner of the United Kingdom-based brand Jagazi Natural, which is where the product in question comes from, has released her own statement regarding the matter. According to her, a third party used the brand name without permission and then posted it on the retailer's website.
"I am still at a lost (sic) as to why any person [would] think that is ok. It pains my heart that this has affected so many people. I also feel very sorry for myself," the entrepreneur reportedly told NBC News via email.
She also posted a disclaimer on her company website, saying that somebody had used their brand name to list an item on Walmart's site and that they, in Jagazi, are doing their best to have all listings with the said racial slur removed entirely.
"The real JAGAZI is a 100% black company for black people. People have often used our brand name to try and sell their fake products," she added.
The product advertisement has now been removed from Walmart's website.
