Uber Eats Super Bowl Ad Receives Backlash for Insensitive Peanut Allergy Joke

Uber Eats is facing criticism after its Super Bowl advert seemingly made light of a man experiencing an allergic reaction to peanut butter. The depiction of allergies as a joke has been deemed “disgusting” and “completely unnecessary” by one individual who is allergic to peanuts. The use of food allergies as humor raises concerns that it could lead to bullying among children. The Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE) charity expressed surprise and disappointment over the advertisement. Food Allergy Canada also highlighted that food allergies should not be taken lightly and called for the ad to be edited. Dr Sung Poblete, head of FARE, emphasized the importance of educating Uber Eats about the challenges faced by those with food allergies. The ad includes a small disclaimer at the bottom of the screen stating that there are peanuts in peanut butter, but this did little to ease the backlash. JD Arland, who is allergic to peanuts and soy, criticized the ad as offensive and perpetuating harmful stereotypes. However, Arland also saw an opportunity for education and hoped for a greater commitment from Uber Eats to support the food allergy community on their platform. Super Bowl adverts have become a significant aspect of the event, and it is expected that over 100 million people will watch the game. The controversy surrounding the Uber Eats ad highlights the need for sensitivity and awareness when portraying sensitive topics such as food allergies in advertisements.