Pete Evans has been dumped by a myriad of Australian companies and sponsors since he posted a neo-Nazi meme on Facebook over the weekend.
And the disgraced chef, 47, has now been dumped by a major retailer from across the ditch.
The Warehouse, one of New Zealand’s biggest department stores, confirmed on Tuesday it would be removing all of Evans’ products in response to his hateful views.
New Zealand turns on Pete Evans: Kiwi retailer The Warehouse has confirmed it will remove Pete Evans’ books from its shelves after the disgraced chef, 47, (pictured) posted a neo-Nazi meme on Facebook over the weekend
The Warehouse confirmed the news via Twitter in response to a customer’s question about whether Evans’ products would be ‘dropped by New Zealand shops over the next few days’.
‘Thanks for raising this with us. We are currently in the process of withdrawing stock in our stores and online,’ The Warehouse tweeted.
It’s the latest in a growing list of companies that have distanced themselves from the former My Kitchen Rules judge in light of this week’s scandal.
‘We are currently in the process of withdrawing stock in our stores and online’: The Warehouse confirmed the news via Twitter on Tuesday
The list includes his publisher Pan Macmillan, bookstore Dymocks, BIG W, Coles, kitchenware company Baccarat, Woolworths, House homewares, Target, Kmart, Booktopia, David Jones and Channel 10’s I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!
Also severing ties are Readings and Gleebooks bookstores, while Natural Raw C coconut water revealed it had ended its agreement with Pete earlier this year.
Evans has received significant backlash on social media since posting the neo-Nazi meme on Sunday.
Speaking up: A majority of these companies shared statements confirming the mass exodus over the past two days. Pictured: a statement from Baccarat
Issues: Natural Raw C coconut water revealed it had ended its agreement with the 47-year-old disgraced chef earlier this year
House homewares shared the following statement to Instagram on Tuesday: ‘In our view, the images and views expressed by Mr Evans are reprehensible, unacceptable and offensive. HOUSE will immediately remove the Pete Evans branded products online and will be discontinuing the range in store’
Sacked: Evans was dropped by his publisher Pan Macmillan Australia on Monday in response to the outrage over his neo-Nazi Facebook meme
The meme was a cartoon of a caterpillar wearing a MAGA cap and a butterfly with the racist Black Sun emblem on its wing – with the suggestion being that neo-Nazism is the natural evolution for Donald Trump supporters.
Pete is an enthusiastic supporter of the president and advocates the baseless claim that Joe Biden only won the 2020 election due to voter fraud.
The Black Sun symbol became infamous after it was introduced by top-ranking Nazi Heinrich Himmler during World War II.
Shameful: Pete had sparked outrage on Sunday when he shared a neo-Nazi meme on Facebook. He posted this cartoon of a caterpillar wearing a MAGA cap and a butterfly with the racist Black Sun emblem on its wing – with the suggestion being that neo-Nazism is the natural evolution for Donald Trump supporters
What was he thinking? Evans seemingly confirmed he was aware of the meaning of the symbol when a fan stated they recognised it, and Pete replied: ‘I was waiting for someone to see that’
The symbol has since been adopted by numerous neo-Nazi groups, and by Christchurch mosque shooter Brenton Tarrant.
Pete seemingly confirmed he was aware of the meaning of the symbol when a fan stated they recognised it, and Pete replied: ‘I was waiting for someone to see that.’
He later deleted the post on Monday afternoon and replaced it with an image of a rainbow heart alongside a sarcastic non-apology in which he claimed he would be ‘studying all of the symbols that have ever existed’ to make sure he doesn’t offend anyone again.
Sorry, not sorry: He later deleted the post on Monday afternoon and replaced it with this image of a rainbow heart alongside a sarcastic non-apology in which he claimed he’d be ‘studying all of the symbols that have ever existed’ to make sure he doesn’t offend anyone again
Speaking out: On Tuesday afternoon, he shared an Instagram video in which he called the allegations against him ‘garbage’ while cuddling up to one of his horses
‘Sincere apologies to anyone who misinterpreted a previous post of a caterpillar and a butterfly having a chat over a drink and perceived that I was promoting hatred,’ he wrote.
‘I look forward to studying all of the symbols that have ever existed and research them thoroughly before posting. Hopefully this symbol resonates deeply into the hearts of ALL!’
The former My Kitchen Rules judge also laughed off his latest scandal outside his farm in northern NSW on Tuesday morning, offering a half-hearted apology to those offended by his racist social media post.
On Tuesday afternoon, he shared an Instagram video in which he called the allegations against him ‘garbage’ while cuddling up to one of his horses.
‘Well just when you thought 2020 couldn’t get any more bizarre. The mainstream media have come out and labelled me a racist and a neo-Nazi. The fact that I had to actually google what neo-Nazi meant is pretty telling,’ he said, laughing.