One of America’s favorite snacks, Doritos, is facing some backlash after the Super Bowl, and it isn’t because of an ad.
Indra Nooyi, the CEO of PepsiCo., talked about developing separate “snacks for women” on a recent episode of the Freakonomics Radio podcast. And Twitter finds that hard to swallow.
Nooyi said that while men love Doritos, everything from licking their fingers and pouring the bag out to reaching the tiny crumbs and scraps lingering in the bottom, women like to enjoy their snacks differently.
“Women would love to do the same, but they don’t,” Nooyi said. “They don’t like to crunch too loudly in public. And they don’t lick their fingers generously and they don’t like to pour the little broken pieces and the flavor into their mouth.”
She added that PepsiCo. is looking at designing and packaging “snacks for women” with the intent to launch the products soon.
“For women, low-crunch, the full taste profile, not have so much of the flavor stick on the fingers, and how can you put it in a purse? Because women love to carry a snack in their purse,” Nooyi said.
Women on Twitter took issue with the idea of a snack specifically designed for them, as though it made light of the fight for gender equality in the culture and the workplace.
A spokesperson for PepsiCo. issued a statement: “The reporting on a specific Doritos product for female consumers is inaccurate. We already have Doritos for women – they’re called Doritos, and they’re enjoyed by millions of people every day. At the same time, we know needs and preferences continue to evolve and we’re always looking for new ways to engage and delight our consumers.”
Women: We want equal pay, respect, right to our own bodies.
Men: We hear you! Have some Lady Doritos. pic.twitter.com/HBF4iuRxm7— Jinath Hyder?? (@JinathHyder) February 5, 2018
https://twitter.com/SheaSerrano/status/960665643854024706
Women: We want equal pay for equal work and an end to sex discrimination in the workplace.
Society: Here’s a bag of Lady Doritos so you won’t have to crunch too loudly in front of your male colleagues.
— Marie Connor (@thistallawkgirl) February 5, 2018
Women would rather have affordable feminine hygiene products and contraception but instead we get Lady Doritos.
— Shea (@thesheajenkins) February 5, 2018
Lady Doritos sums up sexism in one chemically-flavored, chewy package.
Women are not to be heard.
Men can be heard.
Women are not to be messy.
Men can get as messy as they like.
Women are to settle for less.
Men have no need to settle.
— Isa-Lee Wolf (@IsaLeeWolf) February 5, 2018
Instead of Lady Doritos, Doritos should create a tortilla chip so loud, it shatters glass ceilings and the patriarchy
— (((Mark Campbell))) (@MrWordsWorth) February 5, 2018