The candy company Nestle is rebranding "Redskins and "Chicos" candy over concerns about the racist overtones of the names.
In a statement posted to Facebook by Allen's, the subsidiary of Nestle that produces the candy, the company said the names were "out of step with our values."
"At Allen's we are about creating smiles," the statement read. "Today we announced that we will change the name of Red Skins and Chicos lollies. This decision acknowledges the need to keep creating smiles, ensuring that nothing we do marginalises our friends, neighbours and colleagues, or is out of step with our values. We haven't finalised the new names, but we'll keep you posted."
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In the wake of protests over George Floyd's death and institutional racism in America, a number of other brands have announced similar moves as Nestle.
The decision comes as politicians including New York's Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser have called for the Washington football team to change its name.
"I think it's past time for the team to deal with [a name that] offends so many people," Bowser said earlier this month. "And this is a great franchise with a great history that's beloved in history and it deserves a name that reflects the affection that we feel for the team."
The Washington Post and USA TODAY also published op-eds in the past week calling for the team to change its name.
The Redskins football team has not spoken publicly about the name. In 2013, team owner Dan Snyder told USA TODAY Sports he would never change the name.
The name Redskins proves too controversial for Australian candy company originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington
