Bath & Body Works Apologizes for ‘KKK Candle’ Design

Bath & Body Works is facing intense scrutiny and rushing to remove a holiday-themed candle from its shelves after online comparisons to imagery associated with the Ku Klux Klan sparked outrage.

The controversy erupted on Tuesday when an X user posted a screenshot of the “Snowed In” candle, showcasing a snowflake design on a red background.

What was meant to be a festive product quickly became the subject of backlash, with users pointing out that the white snowflake resembled the infamous white hoods worn by KKK members, complete with pointed tops and eye holes.

Social media users swiftly demanded the candle be pulled from stores, with calls for accountability from those responsible for the design. Critics were vocal in their disapproval, asking for both the product’s removal and for the company to take stronger measures in preventing such missteps.

In response to the uproar, Bath & Body Works has issued an apology. A spokesperson for the company told TMZ, “We are committed to listening to our teams and customers and committed to fixing any mistakes we make—even those that are unintentional like this one. We apologize to anyone we’ve offended and are swiftly working to have this item removed and are evaluating our process moving forward.”

This incident follows another PR misstep from the company just two years ago, when it faced backlash for its Black History Month campaign. Critics at the time accused Bath & Body Works of lacking cultural sensitivity after they repackaged everyday products as “limited edition” items with little substantive connection to Black history.

Why I’m thinking Bath and Body Works have a new fragrance and it’s the same fragrance only in kente cloth colors 🥴😪 pic.twitter.com/PJpaMlNikb

— SMOOTH MELANIN (@smoothmelanin) January 29, 2022

For Bath & Body Works, this latest controversy could signal yet another blow to its brand image.