M&S LGBT Sandwich Launched To Celebrate Pride – And Divides Shoppers

"This is not just any sandwich..." 🌈 🥪
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Marks & Spencer has launched an ‘LGBT’ sandwich in the UK and Ireland to celebrate Pride – but it has been met with mixed reactions.

The sandwich is filled with lettuce, guacamole, bacon and tomato – true to the acronym LGBT – as well as coming in rainbow-coloured packaging.

The British brand will be donating money to two causes ahead of Pride, chosen by its LGBTQ+ employees: £10,000 to Akt, a LGBTQ+ youth homelessness charity and €1000 to BeLongG, an Irish youth service.

But reactions to the sandwich haven’t all been positive – with some people accusing the brand of capitalising on the pink pound.

Customers suggested the brand was taking the “easy route” in marketing an LGBT product, while failing to be an ally in other areas.

if All profits from the Sandwiches are not going to LGBT+ funding then it is cashing in on the Pink Pound

— Pride UK (@PrideUKorg) May 1, 2019

Also M&S pride sandwiches and rainbow coffee cups etc are all great. However companies like Starbucks, M&S have power and influence in countries where they don't have gay rights and they don't use it. But yeah thanks for the sandwich.

— AJ Alexander (@AJAlxxxnder) May 1, 2019

Anyone seen the @marksandspencer LGBT sandwich. These companies are really just taking any swing to seem ‘inclusive’. And baby that’s a fucking miss

— Jouex (@JoeMcCollBrown) May 2, 2019

Others, however, were satisfied that M&S was trying to play its part, including releasing a new advertisement featuring a gay couple.

And there were some positive reactions to the new sandwich.

“This is not just any sandwich ...” this is a @marksandspencer LGBT sandwich 🤣🤪. @mandslgbtq
❤️🧡💛💚💙💜 pic.twitter.com/8n0VEHzVj9

— Jonathan (@Jonb1408) May 1, 2019

Fair play @marksandspencer Big love for these sarnies! 🌈🥑🍅 pic.twitter.com/Yt8f0AVgkR

— Zoe Thacker (@zoe_thacker) May 1, 2019

It's nice to see M&S fighting bi-erasure by making us the best bit of this sandwich pic.twitter.com/L61P1iIsrR

— Alex Corwin (@alexcorwinhbat) May 1, 2019

Me: listen. Try not to buy into every company’s pride line as we get closer to pride month. it’s just a marketing scheme. you don’t need rainbow everything.

Also me: OKAY WHERE THE HELL DO I GET THAT LGBT SANDWICH BECAUSE I NEED 100 OF THEM.

— Claire (@hereiamsoaring) May 2, 2019

Of course, there were shoppers who weren’t happy with the composition of the sandwich, arguing that the ingredients excluded vegetarians and vegans.

And there were people who didn’t like the price, either. This is Britain.

Bacon?! Not very inclusive is it? pic.twitter.com/tKDLYp3sAS

— Tawseef (@Just_Tawseef) May 1, 2019

The only offensive thing about the LGBT sandwich is the fact they’ve but guacamole into a perfectly fine BLT sandwich 🤮🤮🤮

— Nick 🇨🇴 (@nsandoval_) May 1, 2019

4.50 for a blt with guac? Guess they're hoping gays really have expensive taste

— Blond Loki (@BlondLoki) April 30, 2019

So what should an LGBT sandwich actually look like?

Unless it’s on pink bread with a glitter spread it’s not an lgbt sandwich sorry

— Bust down, Ratiana (@alex_rata) May 1, 2019

HuffPost UK has contacted Marks & Spencer for comment and this article will be updated with a response.

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