Beechworth Sweet Co owner Sally McGregor has left open the possibility the golliwog that features in the shop’s logo and on its products will be removed.
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Ms McGregor has confirmed she will remove the golliwog from a television commercial after industry regulator the Advertising Standards Board deemed it racist.
Ms McGregor, who took over the business in 2014 and did not develop the store’s logo or the television advertisement which both feature a golliwog, stressed she did not mean to cause any offence.
“I apologise to those for whom the ad caused offence – it was never my intention,” she said.
“We’re constantly looking at everything we do in the business.
“If you come back again (to the shop) next week you’ll notice that our shop has changed once again.
“We’re always assessing what it is our customers need, what the town would like us to stock in our shop. “So it’s an ongoing process for us.”
Ms McGregor said it was irrelevant whether she was legally required to act on the regulator’s request for the golliwog to be removed.
The lolly store received a groundswell of support following initial reports of an anonymous complaint to the Advertising Standards Board, with many Beechworth residents viewing it as political correctness “gone ridiculously far”.
An online poll conducted by The Border Mail found 1317 people (93 per cent) did not find the lolly shop’s use of a golliwog offensive while 100 respondents (7 per cent) did.
The watchdog had ruled the television commercial for the Beechworth Street Co was in breach of its code, which requires promotions to not discriminate or vilify on racial grounds.
“In 2016, the image of a golliwog on television is completely inexcusable,” the complainant stated.
“I truly believe casual racism like this is so damaging to the community and this commercial should never be aired again.”
A golliwog appeared in animated form at the end of the advert.