The Hindu community is up in arms against Heinz Australia. Members of the community have asked the food major to apologise for hurting their sentiments after the company failed to disclose the fact their juices and drinks allegedly contained beef and alcohol.
In Nevada, USA, Rajan Zed, president, Universal Society of Hinduism, said, “Hindus consider cows sacred, and the seat of many deities. They consider the consumption of beef sacrilegious.” He added that Heinz Australia should have disclosed on the beverage labels that the meat was used in the process of producing them, so Hindu consumers would be alert.
“The company should have clarified that alcohol was also used in the manufacture of their juices and drinks,” Zed said. “Many Hindus are teetotallers, and parents wouldn’t like to give their children a beverage in whose production alcohol was used,” he added.
Zed stressed that Heinz Australia should overhaul its labelling practices to ensure greater transparency, and help consumers make better decisions.