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Instagram post from Bahlsen: "Because you sweeten me every day"
Photo: Bahlsen
After a racism debate on social networks, the Bahlsen company renamed a waffle biscuit.
The name of the product "Africa" has been changed to "Perpetum", said a company spokesman.
The new products have been on the market since June.
It had been determined that the real reason for the naming over 60 years ago is no longer perceived today, the company said.
At the time, they wanted to establish a relationship with the raw material cocoa, which is grown in some African countries.
"For these reasons we decided to rename it." The new name is derived from the Latin adjective
perpetuus
, which can be translated as permanent.
In the social networks, the renaming caused some disconcertment.
“What is racist about the word Africa?” Asked some users.
Another wrote layer »??????«.
In March, some had spoken out completely.
On the occasion of Valentine's Day on February 14th, Bahlsen himself first posted a picture of an “Africa” biscuit packet on Instagram.
Next to it was a note with the note: "Because you sweeten me every day."
One user wrote: “A brown cookie called Africa?
For Real? "