Walmart recently pulled a T-shirt from its stores after a customer pointed out an unintended, offensive message in the design. The incident gained attention after a tweet showcasing the shirt went viral, racking up over 2.5 million views.
The shirt, which was part of Walmart’s George fashion line, featured a pro-recycling slogan with the letters “RE” in uppercase, followed by four lowercase words: “cycle,” “use,” “new,” and “think.” At first glance, the design appeared innocent enough. However, when looking closely, the first letters of each word formed a profanity: “c–t.”
The discovery sparked a wave of reactions on social media, with many users finding humor in the hidden word. One user joked, “I need this shirt before Walmart realizes what they have done. Find the hidden word,” while others expressed their desire to own the shirt.
Despite the shirt’s popularity online, Walmart acted quickly, removing it from their stores. A spokesperson confirmed, “This was not intentional, and the T-shirt has been removed.”
Controversy and Social Media Reaction
Although the shirt was only sold in Canadian stores for $5, it reportedly appeared on Amazon and other websites for around $20 following its removal from Walmart.
Social media users speculated about whether the offensive message was a deliberate choice by the designer. One person commented, “What’s the over/under that whoever designed that shirt knew exactly what they were doing?”
This incident isn’t the first time Walmart has had to pull clothing due to offensive content. In 2017, the retailer removed a T-shirt that appeared to promote violence against journalists after receiving complaints about its message.
The T-shirt might be off Walmart shelves, but the buzz around this incident shows how quickly something can go viral and lead to swift action.
