By: Laviniah Karanja, Fashion blogger and Face of Kenya UK 2014
Marks & Spencer has apologised for banning the words “Jesus Christ” and “gay” from being used in personalised gift messages.
The retailer had refused to approve the words when a customer would type them in for a customised message to be included with a delivery of flowers.
But now it appears that M&S allows the words. However, explicit words such as ‘f***’ and ‘b******’ are still prohibited.
In a statement to Pink News, the retailer said: “We apologise for any offence caused, it was certainly never our intention.
“An automatic phrase checker is in place to prevent the use and misuse of certain words and it includes hundreds of words of varying nature.”
The emergence of the ban became apparent when a pastor’s wife was blocked from ordering a bouquet of spring flowers as a gift. As she made her order, an on-screen flash warned “Sorry there is something in your message we can’t write”.
The customer was surprised to discover her message that read “Thank you for your care and practical help for Margaret in her last days…With love from her church family, Christ Church Teddington” was blocked and prohibited her purchase.
Once Geraldine Stockport, 53, rang the help line she was told a word “Christ” had been blocked and the message had to be re-written for her as she her attempts to make the order online were refused.
