// Waitrose cuts one scene from its Christmas ad after receiving criticism from a skin cancer charity
// The Christmas advert features two farmers comparing sun tans
Waitrose has edited part of its Christmas advert after receiving criticism from a skin cancer charity.
The ad features two farmers comparing sun tans after spending the year growing and harvesting for the Christmas dinner table.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wyuZfV3M6c4&t=47s
The supermarket has apologised after Melanoma UK and viewers raised concerns that the scene glorified sun tans and did not highlight the dangers of UV rays.
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The charity said: “Waitrose can do better than this.”
One person who has melanoma wrote on Waitrose’s Facebook post that she found it “absolutely astonishing that a company like yourselves should be showing farmers glorifying in their sun tans.
“This is a kick in the teeth for all melanoma patients and for all the organisations trying to educate everyone into the dangers of sun tans.
“What on earth were you thinking to include this in a Christmas advert? Words fail me.”
The scene has since been cut completely from the ad.
Waitrose said: “Our ad celebrates the care and effort that our Partners and real farmers – who work in all weathers – put in to make sure our customers have what they need for Christmas.
“While we included some light-hearted and ‘true to life’ moments, we’ve listened to the comments made about the serious message of sun safety and will be using an updated version of the ad to address these concerns.”
