Flipkart issues apology after facing backlash for its Women's Day message

A message from Flipkart promoting kitchen appliances on International Women's Day sparked an outcry on social media, resulting in the ecommerce platform issuing an apology.

On Tuesday, International Women's Day 2022, Flipkart sent out a marketing message which read, "This Women's Day, let's celebrate you. Get kitchen appliances from ₹ 299," sparking outrage on social media. The message was highlighted by several users on Twitter as sexist and biased. Hinting at the association of women to the kitchen, according to Twitter users, the message reinforced negative stereotypes about cooking still being a woman's job.

Celebrating Women’s Day by promoting, perpetuating and celebrating gender roles. If irony had a definition this should be it

— VJ (@VJ290481) March 8, 2022

Flipkart knows what women want.#WomensDay #Flipkart pic.twitter.com/vww8aEuV7B

— Sports Car (@SportsCar420) March 8, 2022

This is the mentality from which we are fighting since decades. Women belongs to kitchen ! @Flipkart must be ashamed for hiring people with this kind of mentality! #InternationalWomensDay #flipkart #8thMarch pic.twitter.com/0IZT9XgeWi

— Raghav Chauhan (@raghav_ch_nsui) March 8, 2022

Hey @Flipkart Do you think kitchen is only the place women should be ? #PityOnFlipkart #Flipkart pic.twitter.com/gKzDzJSsUU

— Weird Brainy (@AdershVimal) March 9, 2022

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In an attempt to counter-repair the things, and curb the backlash, Flipkart tweeted an apology. "We messed up and we are sorry," the e-commerce company wrote on Twitter. "We did not intend to hurt anyone's sentiments and apologize for the Women's Day message shared earlier," it added.

We messed up and we are sorry.

We did not intend to hurt anyone's sentiments and apologise for the Women's Day message shared earlier. pic.twitter.com/Gji4WAumQG

— Flipkart (@Flipkart) March 8, 2022