Asda is selling statues of the Hindu God Ganesh as part of their Spring/Summer 2021 Collection. At first, they sold him as a garden 'object in their seasonal aisle, and when challenged, they moved him to the indoor range to be sold as a mere ornament devoid of meaning. 

This is nothing more than religious and cultural appropriation - the inappropriate act of adopting elements of one culture by a dominant culture without treating it with due respect and awareness. Ganesh is NOT an aesthetic ‘object, and most certainly not seasonal as this supermarket would have us believe, nor is he an 'ornament'. He is a deeply symbolic and philosophical entity worshiped by 900 million Hindus around the world. Selling his visage in this way is disrespectful, disheartening and disappointing.

It is bewildering that they choose to sell a religious item in a supermarket in the first place. Do we see sales of the Holy Quran under the dates on the shelves at Eid? Have we ever seen statues of the messiah Jesus Christ on the cross next to the baked beans at Christmas? So why is Ganesh being sold in Spring 2021 between a squirrel and a plump robin?

The full article is available on https://www.asianexpress.co.uk/2021/04/bread-milk-ganesh-a-supermarket-tale-of-cultural-appropriation/

Asda said their choice is affected by the number of people raising objections. Whether you are Hindu or not, we all have a duty to respect others so please let them know how offensive and upsetting their actions are.