Australia’s ‘Red Skins’ chews, ‘Chicos’ jellies bite the dust amid global backlash over racist branding

Raspberry flavoured ‘Red Skins’ and chocolate jelly ‘Chicos’ have been made in Australia under the Allen’s brand, owned by Nestle, for decades

Their renaming comes amid global protests against racism and follows a similar decision related to the Aunt Jemima and Uncle Ben’s brands

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Published: 5:34pm, 23 Jun 2020Updated: 5:34pm, 23 Jun 2020

Australian confectionery products “Red Skins” and “Chicos” are to be renamed because of unspecified “overtones”, manufacturer Nestle said on Tuesday amid a global backlash over racist branding.

The popular sweets, which have been made by Allen’s in Australia for decades, will drop the names swiftly although new titles have yet to be finalised, Nestle Australia said in a short statement.

The move is part of the corporate world’s reckoning with the treatment of black people, following anti-racism protests triggered by the death of George Floyd in police custody in Minneapolis late last month.

“This decision acknowledges the need to ensure that nothing we do marginalises our friends, neighbours and colleagues,” Nestle said.

Red Skins’ wrappers originally bore images of a Native American wearing a traditional headdress. Photo: Twitter

“These names have overtones which are out of step with Nestle’s values, which are rooted in respect,” it added.

Redskin is a slang term widely deemed offensive that refers to Native Americans, while chico, which translates to “boy” in Spanish, can be offensive to those of Latin American descent.