Burger King posted an apology on Twitter in response to backlash from Catholics in Spain over ads that played on the words of Jesus at the Last Supper.
“We apologize to all those who have felt offended by our campaign aimed at promoting our vegetable products during Holy Week. Our intention has never been to offend anyone and the immediate withdrawal of the campaign has already been requested,” Burger King announced Easter Sunday.
The ads, which appeared on billboards throughout Spain during Holy Week, used the words of Jesus at the Last Supper to promote the fast-food chain’s new vegetarian burger.
Catholic News Agency reported:
One of the billboards read: “Take all of you and eat of it. Which doesn’t have meat. 100% vegetarian. 100% flavor. Big King Vegetable.”
Another ad read, “Flesh of my flesh,” with the word “flesh,” which is the same word for meat in Spanish, crossed out, and replaced with “vegetable.”
An online petition on citizengo.org calling for the dismissal of Burger King’s Spanish CEO, has collected over 28,000 signatures.
Miguel Tomás, the petition’s author, wrote:
"I am indignant!
"I just saw the Burger King ad where they use the Gospel to promote a veggie burger! They mock the Eucharist and the death of Christ in the most sacred time for Christians.
“They take advantage of Holy Week to launch an offensive campaign against the millions of believers in order to get publicity and money. It's time to respond with a boycott of Burger King.”
He concluded his petition with a threat to boycott the fast-food chain.
“Sign and tell the CEO of Burger King that if the general director of Spain and Portugal, Jorge Carvalho, is not fired for taking out this ad, you will never set foot in any of his restaurants with your family,” he wrote.
Crux reported that Catholic Church’s response to the offensive ad campaign.
“Apparently, the loss of culinary taste and the lack of respect for religious feelings go hand in hand,” said Bishop José Ignacio Munilla of Orihuela-Alicante.
