Bath & Body Works Responds to ‘Snowed In’ Candle Label That Allegedly Looks Like KKK Hoods

Bath & Body Works has responded to backlash over an image featured prominently on its “Snowed In” candle label that allegedly looks like the white hoods of the Ku Klux Klan.

The bath and body care retailer is pulling the candles from store shelves after a social media backlash response to the image. The white design is supposed to represent a close-up of a snowflake. However, there are some who believe the company missed the mark, saying the snowflake image looks more like KKK hoods.

The company shared a statement with FOX Business. It reads, “At Bath & Body Works, 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 going forward.”

What Will Bath & Body Works Do To Rectify Its Mistake?

How did the klandle make it all the way to shelves without anyone even raising an eyebrow pic.twitter.com/63LJ5lsiPz

— greg (@greg16676935420) October 12, 2024

The Washington Post reported that Bath & Body Works employees are being instructed to remove the offending labels and place them in an opaque trash bag. It is unclear whether a new label will be redesigned for the home scent, which has notes of buttermilk, musk, and vanilla. The candle is no longer available online, though the Post noted that some that were purchased beforehand are now being resold on eBay for between $125 and $360.

On Reddit, social media users weighed in on the controversy. Some noted that they did see a paper snowflake and wouldn’t have thought otherwise if others hadn’t pointed it out, while others found the KKK imagery hard to ignore, even going so far as to rename it the “klandle.”

“Out of all the ‘paper snowflake’ designs to go with, they go with this one? I’ve made a lot of paper snowflakes as a kid and none of them ever had two eye holes in the point,” wrote one Redditor. A second penned, “The Klan Krismas Kandle?!? No thank you ma’am.”

A third Reddit user claimed, “I thought it was more like aliens, but if anyone gets that impression, yikes.” That was followed by a fourth who wrote, “Right they didn’t think too hard about that design.”

This controversy comes just as Bath and Body Works heads into one of its most profitable times of the year: the holiday season. It remains to be seen if the scent will be repackaged.