The detergent company Proctor & Gamble has mistakenly placed a neo-Nazi code on promotional packages for one of its chemical washing powders — and sent them off to German markets, where shoppers are now outraged.
Some of the Ariel detergent packages contained a large number “88” on a white soccer jersey; the number is used by neo-Nazis as a sign for “Heil Hitler.” The logic is the letter “H” is the eighth in the alphabet.
Company spokeswoman Melani Schnitzler said they’ve put a stop to shipments, as well as to shipments of a liquid detergent that had a promotional slogan of “Ariel 18,” The Associated Press reported. Using the same alphabetic logic, the number 18 corresponds to the letters “A” and “H,” the initials for Adolf Hitler.
The use of any type of Nazi slogan and reference is banned in Germany.
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
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