Watchmaker Swatch has apologised and pulled adverts that includes an Asian male mannequin pulling the corners of his eyes backwards following accusations of racism.
Photos for the Swatch Necessities assortment have been criticised for the “slanted eye” pose, particularly in China, with many commentators saying they appeared to imitate racist taunts.
The Swiss firm has apologised in each English and Chinese language on the social media platforms Weibo and Instagram – saying it had “taken note of the recent concerns” and eliminated all associated supplies worldwide.
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Pic: Swatch
“We sincerely apologise for any distress or misunderstanding this may have caused,” it stated.
Shares within the firm fell by as a lot as 2.7% in early buying and selling on Monday.
It’s the newest setback for the corporate, whose shares have dropped by greater than half since early 2023 and now faces a 39% tariff on its exports to the US.
Swatch – which additionally makes Omega, Longines and Tissot watches – relied on China, Hong Kong and Macau for about 27% of its gross sales final yr.
The corporate’s income fell 14.6% to six.74 billion Swiss francs (£6.2bn) in 2024 after a drop in demand in China.
Swatch blamed this on “persistently difficult market conditions and weak demand for consumer goods overall”.
