Greggs apologises for replacing Jesus with sausage roll for advent calendar photo campaign

by XPRESS, 16 November 2017

Photos promoting the company’s new advent calendar showed three wise men gathered round a manger in the traditional fashion but, rather than gazing in wonder at the son of God, their eyes fall on a Greggs pastry.

The stunt was apparently meant to be taken in a light-hearted way but numerous people pointed out the fresh take on the 2,000-year old scene could cause offence because Jesus was Jewish and eating pork is forbidden in the Jewish faith.

The photograph was one of a number of publicity photos for the calendar, including a Santa with flakes of pastry in his beard, a Greggs shop in a snow globe, and a woman about to kiss what appears to be a chicken slice under the mistletoe.

Greggs said in a statement: “We’re really sorry to have caused any offence, this was never our intention.”