A toy has been removed from the Kinder Surprise collection after a Toronto mother complained about an “offensive” depiction of an Inuit in an igloo.
Teresa Miller told CTV News Toronto that she purchased the candy in February for her six-year-old daughter. The pair were expecting a “random plastic toy,” but once they had pieced it together Miller said she knew right away it was “a bad idea.”
“There's literally nothing you could make more offensive if you've tried,” she said.
The toy appears to depict an Inuit whose head is popping out of an igloo. With the flick of a lever, Miller said the person gets tossed out of the igloo onto a curling ring.
“It is horrible and absurd at the same time,” she said. “We had an immediate chat about how this was not right.”
Miller said she did not expect to see a toy purchased in 2023 that depicted another person’s culture in this way, likely without their consent. She also said she reached out to Ferrero, the parent company of Kinder Surprise, expecting them to say they will review the toy and the process in which they make decisions in the future.
“This is so obvious, that there's no way I'm the first person to do this. So they've known about it for a while and have still chosen to do nothing about it. I think that's the sad part.”
In a statement to CTV News Toronto, a spokesperson for Ferrero said they were aware of the concerns and apologized for the offence the toy caused.
“(The toy) is part of a general toy collection that is available globally, and there was no intent to misrepresent any culture,” the spokesperson said.
“This toy was one of many available in market but last month we removed the toy from our collection and stopped all further shipments of the toy. We are also implementing enhanced review protocols of all toys throughout the design process.”
Muckpaloo Ipeelie, CEO Urban Inuit Identity Project, said the toy reminded her of fake plastic Inuit art sold across Canada.
“At the end of the day, we have to pick and choose what we get flustered about,” Ipeelie said.
“There are deeper topics relating to lesser quality of life for Inuit today. These topics need to be addressed. For that, I’m appreciative that this situation arose because it shines the light on the need for Inuit consultants to be included in the conversation that involve Inuit policies and frameworks.”
Ipeelie says that she hopes in the future, any company that chooses to depict Inuit people consult with the people they are representing. At the same time, she says that often when she is asked to provide an Inuit perspective, it is expected that she provides “an affirming answer to (that person’s) already held beliefs.”
“When Inuit are asked to contribute, often their voices aren't actually being heard,” she said. “Rather they are being used to check off boxes, or as clickbait. There are deeper issues in Canada regarding Inuit.”
One of those deeper issues, Ipeelie says, is that Inuit sculptures are being replicated and sold as authentic.
“In terms of misrepresentation of Inuit, no shops should be selling fake Inuit art. I think that’s the bigger picture.”
