A Taiwanese potato chip brand has stopped shipping its bak kut teh-flavoured chips after Malaysians called out several culturally inaccurate details on its packaging.
The product recently drew attention online after a local netizen shared the packaging and pointed out several details that did not sit right.
Instead of focusing on the flavour, many Malaysians were more distracted by the packaging, which featured elements they felt did not accurately represent bak kut teh.
Many said the design appeared to misunderstand the cultural background of bak kut teh, rather than simply celebrating the dish.
One netizen said she felt the need to “defend the dignity of bak kut teh” after seeing the packet design.
Among the details that drew criticism was the use of Singapore’s Merlion on the packaging despite the product being marketed as bak kut teh-flavoured.
One commenter wrote that Malaysia’s bak kut teh soup base is completely different from Singapore’s, while another said calling Singapore’s version “pepper soup” would also be disrespectful to its culture.
Another detail that sparked discussion was the bowl of bak kut teh shown with what appeared to be coriander on top.
Brand responds
After the post gained attention, the brand responded through its official account and thanked netizens for their feedback.
According to Taiwanese reports, the company said it had stopped shipping the product and would discard the remaining packaging materials.
It also said it would work with its design team to improve cultural sensitivity and accuracy in future designs.
“When we received the message last week, we had already stopped shipment and discarded the remaining packaging materials. Moving forward, we will work with the design company to strengthen cultural sensitivity and accuracy.”
The original poster also thanked the brand for taking the feedback seriously, saying it was good that the company showed willingness to learn.
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