Swatch apologises for 'slanted eye' ad after backlash

Watchmaker Swatch has apologised and pulled ads featuring an Asian male model pulling the corners of his eyes backwards following accusations of racism.

Images for the Swatch Essentials collection were criticised for the "slanted eye" pose, especially in China, with many commentators saying they appeared to mimic racist taunts.

The Swiss company has apologised in both English and Chinese on the social media platforms Weibo and Instagram - saying it had "taken note of the recent concerns" and removed all related materials worldwide.

"We sincerely apologise for any distress or misunderstanding this may have caused," it said.

Shares in the company fell by as much as 2.7% in early trading on Monday.

Read more:
Jimmy Lai's son says father will 'most likely die in jail' unless UK govt intervenes
New words added to dictionary: Are you down with the kids?

It is the latest setback for the company, whose shares have dropped by more than half since early 2023 and now faces a 39% tariff on its exports to the US.

Swatch - which also makes Omega, Longines and Tissot watches - relied on China, Hong Kong and Macau for about 27% of its sales last year.

The company's revenue fell 14.6% to 6.74 billion Swiss francs (£6.2bn) in 2024 after a drop in demand in China.

Swatch blamed this on "persistently difficult market conditions and weak demand for consumer goods overall".

(c) Sky News 2025: Swatch apologises for 'slanted eye' ad after backlash