UK Cafe Chain Under Fire For Blasphemous Crisps

It prides itself on its customer service, high quality produce at affordable prices and the fact that its sandwiches are made fresh every day but the successful cafe chain Pret a Manger has had to issue an apology to a Catholic  group after its crisps cause huge offence.

Taking their name from the non-alcoholic version of a Bloody Mary cocktail, the spicy tomato flavoured crisps in question were innocently named ‘Virgin Mary’, but the chain were forced to withdraw the product after the Protect The Pope group made an official complaint.

The crisps, which were only available to buy in London branches, have since been removed and CEO of Pret, Clive Schlee, has issued a formal apology.

Responding to the complaints, the religious website says Pret a Manger has 'apologised for any unintentional offence they have caused and have indicated that they will give any unsold crisps to the homeless'.

Bad crisps...

The catholic website was set up in the run up to Pope Benedict’s state visit to the UK in September 2010 'as a direct response to the unprecedented level of hostility, ridicule and ill-will from certain public figures, sections of the press and blogs against the Holy Father and the Catholic Church,' it says on the site. 

So is the group over-reacting or were the crisps really that offensive?

One member of the group writes 'We’ve been passive for too long in the face of mockery of our faith and discrimination against us as Catholics. We can change things!'

But another commentator adds 'Sterling work guys. Jesus sandals next please, we can’t have our imaginary friends too closely associated with 70s fashion or people might think we’re out of touch with the zeitgeist.'

Whatever your views, we doubt a spicy tomato crisp would have been that tasty anyway... Give us a Tayto any day.