An organization that works to raise awareness about the dangers of food allergies says it doesn't see the humor in an Uber Eats commercial planned to air during the Super Bowl. The theme is forgetfulness, the BBC reports. At one point, a man who appears to be having an allergic reaction—with his skin breaking out in hives on his face and an eye swollen—looks at the label of a jar as he asks, "There's peanuts in peanut butter?" Later, he says, "Oh, it's the primary ingredient." The Food Allergy Research & Education nonprofit objected, as did Food Allergy Canada, which called on Uber Eats to edit the bit out.
"Deaths occur due to these 'forgotten ingredients' and exposures," an allergist and immunologist told Today.com, giving the example of a dancer in New York City who died "because peanut was not disclosed as an ingredient." Dr Sung Poblete of FARE said, "These types of commercials and types of jokes allow kids to think that there's not going to be any harm and it's going to be funny." The commercial includes, in small type, the message, "Please please do not forget there are peanuts in peanut butter." That didn't appease anyone.
The commercial features stars, though not in the peanut butter part, Jennifer Aniston, David Schwimmer, and David and Victoria Beckham. Online posts also demanded the commercial be changed. One poster said the commercial was fine until the peanut butter person appeared. "How about you switch him out with a guy who forgets he's diabetic and doesn't take his insulin, or a soldier who has PTSD and forgets his medication?" one poster wrote. "Nope those wouldn't be funny either would they?" Uber Eats did not immediately respond to requests for comment. (More Super Bowl commercials stories.)
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