DEVOUT pastry-lovers have threatened to boycott Greggs after the bakery chain replaced baby Jesus with a sausage roll in a Christmas ad campaign.
Greggs have now apologised after publicity shots from its new advent calendar went viral under particularly unholy circumstances.
The shots depicted the nativity scene with three wise men gathered around the manger – but rather than gazing down upon the Son of Man – the figures stared in astonishment at a Greggs pastry.
#Headlinechallenge: Greggs says sorry after advent calendar replaces baby Jesus with a sausage roll. Altogether now...OH CRUMB ALL YE FAITHFUL https://t.co/xfaMUZ6C9W pic.twitter.com/CBtIqHkA9Q
— Peter Barron (@PeteBarronMedia) November 14, 2017
A number of enraged Twitter users have wished the proverbial hellfire on the company – after arguing that the ad was offensive because Jesus was Jewish and eating pork is forbidden in the faith.
One post read: “Out of interest do you think the people at Greggs understand that Jesus was Jewish and serving up a pork sausage roll in the manger is unbelievably inappropriate?”
While another said: “I’m no prude, but equating Jesus, a Jew, to a sausage roll really is deeply offensive on all sorts of levels.”
Nevertheless, some people have seen the funny side of the lamb, or should we say pork, of God.
Come on KFC..show Greggs the way... put a miniature Jesus in all your Christmas buckets https://t.co/z6lerV0AM2
— bob mortimer (@RealBobMortimer) November 14, 2017
Comedian Bob Mortimer said: “Come on KFC… show Greggs the way... put a miniature Jesus in all your Christmas buckets.”
While British journalist Peter Barron joked: “Altogether now...OH CRUMB ALL YE FAITHFUL”.
Greggs later apologised in a statement, saying: “We’re really sorry to have caused any offence, this was never our intention.”
The advent calendar goes on sale for £24 in selected Greggs outlets on Monday – including a £5 Greggs gift card on Christmas Eve.
