An online petition is making the rounds asking Trader Joe's to change the labels on some of its products that critics say have "racist" branding.
The grocer has special labels on several of its international food items, with "Arabian Joe" appearing on Middle Eastern products, "Trader Ming's" on Chinese products, and "Trader José" on Mexican products. A petition, started two weeks ago by a high school senior in California, claims that these modifications perpetuate "harmful stereotypes," and this branding is "racist because it exoticizes other cultures — it presents 'Joe' as the default 'normal' and the other characters as falling outside of it."
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