OPINION: Why changing cheese name was a good idea

What’s in a name?

A story dominating social media and the news recently was the owners of a particular brand of cheese making the decision to change their name due to the racist connotations, although not linked directly with the origin of the name.

This action has led to a polarised response from social media participants on both sides of the debate.

The company has been accused of pandering to political correctness and having no backbone, while others say it has shown good sense and empathy to an already marginalised minority population.

I think they were spot on with their decision.

Yes, the brand is named after their founder, not linked to the origin of the racist term at all, but you cannot escape the fact the brand name is offensive to many in our society.

If you don’t find the word offensive I can only imagine you have never been called the word.

If you don’t find the word offensive I can only imagine you have never been called the word or been close to someone who has been called the word.

It’s not as if it’s as simple as a “surname” and that’s the end of it either.

It’s a major brand.

You cannot go shopping without seeing it, well, unless you avoid the dairy section altogether.

The product will stay exactly the same.

There will be no alterations other than to the packaging and branding.

To the people threatening to boycott the product because of this, well good for you.

But who are you actually harming?

What message are you trying to say?

You object to the company distancing itself from racism?

From a clear-cut racist term?

You object because you somehow find it offensive that your favourite brand of cheese will be called something else?

I honestly don’t get it. It’s cheese, it’s changing its name for a legitimate reason, there has been no external pressure applied.

Times change, attitudes change, let’s all move on.