Tesco has been slammed by some shoppers after rebranding its gingerbread biscuits as “Gingerbread People” in a move aimed at promoting inclusive language.

The change affects the supermarket’s Free From gingerbread range, where packaging now uses gender-neutral wording. Similar changes have previously been made by rival retailers, including Morrisons, which said the shift was intended to be more inclusive.

However, the update has sparked a backlash on social media, with critics accusing the retailer of “going woke” and abandoning tradition.

One shopper wrote: “Is this aimed at boosting sales or appealing to a woke generation?” Another added: “The only way to change the system is to ‘not’ buy it. They will soon change their ways.”

Others questioned the rationale behind the change, arguing the original term was not offensive. “So if there's a single humanoid-shaped gingerbread in the packet, it would be a gingerbread person? But what pronouns should they put on the packet?"

Tesco has not commented publicly on the rebranding but is understood to regularly review product names as part of routine range updates. Other gingerbread products labelled “Gingerbread Men” remain on sale, and the retailer has not indicated whether further naming changes are planned.

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Sainsbury’s and Morrisons have also faced criticism in the past for selling products labelled “Gingerbread People”. Morrisons previously said the change was made following customer feedback.

Professor Frank Furedi, Emeritus Professor of Sociology at the University of Kent, told The Sun the reaction reflects broader cultural tensions over language and identity.

“The reaction to it is understandable,” he said. “People feel like they are losing their language. The vocabulary people have used in relation to ‘man’ and ‘woman’ becomes culturally marginalised, and they feel dispossessed of their voice. Often people ask why others aren’t keeping up with the changing reality - but who decides what that changing reality is?”

The debate highlights ongoing divisions over inclusivity and tradition in branding, with retailers increasingly navigating cultural sensitivities while responding to evolving consumer expectations.