Porn ketchup link leaves Heinz red faced
The code was supposed to lead customers to a competition to design their own label, which ran from 2012–2014.
However, when a customer recently scanned the code, it sent him to a rather saucy “hardcore porn” site, according to reports.
Heinz’s ownership of the website ended once the competition closed and the porn site Fundorado registered the former Heinz site for itself.
Shocked customer
The shocked customer wrote on Heinz’s Facebook page: “Your ketchup really isn’t for underaged people.
“Even if the bottle was leftover, it’s still in lots of households. It’s incomprehensible that you didn’t reserve the domain [web address] for one or two years. It doesn’t cost the Earth.”
The social media team at Heinz apologised and said the company regretted what had happened.
“We are happy to take your suggestions for how we implement future campaigns on board,” they added.
As a gesture of good will, the food giant offered the customer the chance to make his own label, which it would print on a bottle of ketchup and send to him for free.
Kraft merger
Heinz announced it was merging with the Kraft Foods Group in March this year, sparking fears about jobs from Unite the Union.
The new company would have revenues of about £28bn, with eight brands worth more than $1bn and five brands valued between $500M and $1bn, according to analysts.
At the time, Unite national officer for the food sector Julia Long urged the newly formed group to reveal its combined future business plan for its sites in the UK.
“We and our trade union colleagues in the food industry around the world know from experience that deals like this often involve job losses and ruthless cost-cutting, as global capital wants a quick return on its investment,” she said.
Meanwhile, Twitter erupted in a storm of comment about Heinz's faux pas. Below is a selection of our favourite tweets:
Whoops... really goes to show you have to check everything! https://t.co/WLCGYgGkTo
— Dominic Watkins (@retaillawyer) June 18, 2015Boobz meanz Heinz - QR code on ketchup bottle links to porn site http://t.co/a3RKTOWbjLpic.twitter.com/hcI9djlue7
— The Sun (@TheSunNewspaper) June 18, 2015When QR codes go very wrong: porn link on ketchup bottle leaves Heinz red faced http://t.co/8SitO3k0lcpic.twitter.com/nmUYzFWPSr
— Rick Pendrous (@rickpendrous) June 18, 2015How NOT to use #QR codes Heinz shocks punter with porno promo code http://t.co/A5RdsB53sN via @TheLocalGermany
— Val Skelton (@Valskelton) June 17, 2015.@Vulturemedia on the importance of keeping control of domains http://t.co/L2HlNKTTWm
— Tom Barfield (@tombarfield) June 17, 2015
