Aldi slammed as ‘tone deaf’ for Baby Reindeer joke

Baby Reindeer L-R Richard Gadd as Donny, Jessica Gunning as Martha
Aldi joined in with the Baby Reindeer memes (Picture: Ed Miller/Netflix)

Supermarket Aldi has used Baby Reindeer to make a joke about their competitors.

The Netflix show tells the harrowing true story of one man’s experience of being stalked as he also recovers from the trauma of sexual assault and rape. The programme where Donny (Richard Gadd) is terrorised by Martha (Jessica Gunning) after one act of kindness is leaving viewers petrified.

There has been a trend on social media to post memes using imagery from the programme, and Aldi decided to join in with a post related to their own business.

In the image they selected, Martha is sitting on a bar stool in a pub pointing at Donny, who is working behind the bar. Next to Donny, they have added text which reads: ‘Our Prices,’ while on top of Martha, they have written ‘Tesco and Sainsbury’s’ suggesting the other supermarkets copy their prices.

‘Obsessed,’ states the post on X.

The business also posted it on their Facebook with the accompanying caption: ‘Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.’

Aldi tweet about Baby Reindeer
Aldi used Baby Reindeer to make a joke (Picture: X/Baby Reindeer)
Baby Reindeer/Aldi tweets
Some followers found the post funny (Picture: X/Baby Reindeer)

While some people praised the humour and showed their approval with plenty of laughing faces, others criticised their joke due to the subject matter of the show.

‘Hey Aldi, that show is about rape, stalking and sexual assault. You sure this is OK for marketing. I have a very weird feelings about it,’ wrote Malicia Dabrowicz.

Baby Reindeer/Aldi tweet
Not everyone thought Aldi should have made the joke (Picture: X)
Aldi/Baby Reindeer joke
Some thought Aldi’s social media team should have avoided mentioning the show (Picture: X)
Aldi/Baby Reindeer joke
One person called the post ‘tone deaf’ (Picture: X)

Account Childish Jambino added: ‘Cmon, enough with the Baby Reindeer quips. It’s a show about stalking and sexual assault. Feels like a disservice to the programme and some what dismissive of the subjects it tackles. Meanwhile it makes Aldi look tone deaf and actually quite creepy.’

‘Sexual assault and stalking isn’t a fun little joke for a supermarket social media guy to make,’ said Mothra Mars. Leah Jade Connolly simply wrote: ‘Ew, delete this.’

The show’s popularity has led to people trying to figure out who the ‘real people’ are, and a lawyer has issued a warning.

Metro.co.uk contacted Aldi for comment.

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