A garden centre near Elgin has backtracked after posting a photo of a meal on Facebook while describing it as “cocaine curry”.
Threaplands Garden Centre, in Lhanbryde, sparked outage with people slamming their “very poor choice of words” and accusing them of “making a joke out of drug addiction”.
The business also wrote the chef must have “sprinkled something addictive” on the plate, which many online have condemned as making fun of drug-use and similar dependencies.
Garden centre bosses later changed the post, saying it was “taken out of context” and they had intended to type “coconut curry”, blaming predictive text for the mishap.
The initial post said: “Cocaine curry? I’m pretty sure the kitchen must sprinkle something addictive in our curry because I can’t get enough of it!
“Today looks like a day for a hearty meal. Take a trip to Threaplands and try our ‘cocaine curry’ for yourself.”
Mixed reaction to ‘cocaine curry’ post
Hundreds of people took to Facebook to hit out at the venue for “using addiction as a marketing tool” and expressed their concerns about the “ridiculous” choice of words.
Rach Mac posted: “Very poor choice of words. It’s very disappointing that you are making a joke out of drug use and addiction, even if it’s meant to be in jest.”
Jacqueline Spence echoed this, saying it was “seriously, a bad choice of words”, while Janette Brown wrote the post was “inappropriate” for people in recovery.
However, some people on social media took the comment on a more “lighthearted” note.
Lisa Mary-Louise Hale wrote: “My family has been ripped apart and lives destroyed by drugs, but you know what, I still find this post lighthearted and funny.
“There’s too much seriousness and negativity in this world. Life is for living, stop picking negative spots. Just enjoy it and be happy and maybe even treat yourself to some addictive curry.”
Lenore Gunn posted: “Nailed it for getting attention. Jeezo, if you’re that upset scroll past. These comments though are hilarious.”
Post blamed on predictive text
The garden centre has now amended their initial post and apologised to those who might have taken offence from their words.
Stressing that the post was a result of humour gone wrong, they wrote: “Marmite – different posts for different folks. Would you believe me? It was predictive text, ‘coconut’ curry?
“We humour, sometimes close to the line but apologies, stepped over the line today, no offence was meant and it brought equal parts joy as it did upset.
“Thought process – miserable day, ooo, curry, it’s addictive, what else is addictive? End of, no more thought given, poking fun at me for being addicted to it. ‘Lettuce’ know how you like your Facebook.”
Conversation