“Yoh! Makro”: Makro Apologises and Pulls ‘Racist’ Black Baby Doll Listing Online, SA Aggrieved

• Makro faced severe backlash after an online listing featured a Black baby doll described as "ugly" and used for stress relief.
• The retail giant immediately pulled the item from its website and issued a public apology to outraged shoppers.
• The controversial item was uploaded by a third-party marketplace seller, prompting an internal investigation.

Makro found itself at the centre of a major social media controversy after online shoppers spotted a highly offensive product listing on its platform. The item, a black-skinned squishy baby doll, was marketed as a "rebound vent toy" for stress relief and explicitly described in the title text as "ugly."

Retailer Issues Public Apology

The insensitive product description quickly sparked outrage across X (formerly Twitter), with users calling it a blatant display of racism. According to The South African, Makro responded to the online fury by confirming that the item had been immediately removed and explaining that product information for third-party marketplace listings is managed by individual sellers. The retail giant apologised for the distress caused and assured its customers that they are actively engaging with the third-party seller while an internal investigation takes place.

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Watch the X video showing the doll and Makro's price below:

Mzansi discusses the retailer's apology

The incident left many South Africans furious, questioning how the offensive product approval slipped through the cracks.

User @Nice1 asked:

"So they now make dolls to relive stress through violence."

User @gela_kala shared:

"They've removed it."

User @KSegopotjo asked:

"Looks like Makro quietly removed the doll, or did I miss the apology?"

User @DDT_PM

"Yoh, @Makro_SA! Are you not ashamed?"

User @rainbowjnb4902 asked:

"We should be having issues about its use. Who sees a baby-like anything and wants to use it to destress by mutilating it?"

3 Briefly News articles about retailers

• A South African woman sparked a conversation about modernising lobola negotiations after sharing a marriage agreement sold at Makro.
• A woman from Cape Town shared a video demonstrating how she cleaned the spaces in between her tiles using a product she bought at Makro for R60.
• A successful entrepreneur running a profitable e-commerce business broke down the differences between selling on Makro and Takealot, earning high praise from local viewers.

Source: Briefly News