Is Golden Gaytime changing its name? Aldi shopper sparks rumours

Rumours are rife that popular ice cream Golden Gaytime is changing name following one woman's discovery that Aldi Australia is selling packs of the snack carrying a different title.

An eagle-eyed shopper found that the supermarket is currently selling the Streets product, except it is labelled "Cookie Crumble".

"They're Gaytimes, just a new name due to political correctness," one person commented on Facebook.

"Is this a renaming thing?" another shopper asked. "Is the 'Gaytime' renamed due to the 'offensive' name, like Redskins, Chicos and Coon cheese of late that have been renamed?"

Real reason for different name

Golden Gaytime, which was introduced in Australia by Streets in 1959, is also sold in New Zealand where it is known by the name Cookie Crumble.

This branding difference that prompted the confusion is quite common practice, much like Burger King rebranded in Australia as Hungry Jack's, or Axe deodorant being sold as Lynx in Australia, Europe, New Zealand and China.

A spokesperson for Streets confirmed to 7 News that the Cookie Crumble is usually sold in New Zealand but will be available at Australian Aldi stores for a limited time.

Calls for change

Rumours of the Golden Gaytime name change also stem from a petition made last year that called for a review of the Aussie snack's supposedly "offensive" title.

The petition, which garnered hundreds of signatures, claimed that the name Golden Gaytime was "outdated" and that the term "gay" should be removed from the title as it's offensive to the gay community.

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Streets shuts down rumours

An open letter posted on the Streets website in response to name-change speculation makes it clear that the Golden Gaytime moniker is here to stay.

"The meaning behind the Gaytime name has not changed since its iconic debut in 1959 – it is, and always has been for everybody to enjoy, no matter who you are or who you love," the letter reads.

"However, we are very mindful that the world has changed since the first Gaytime was made, and culture and language has also evolved over time.

"We've been listening to our fans, consumers, engaging with our customers, and having lots of conversations internally. We also felt it was important to engage directly with the LGBTQIA+ community, so we met with ACON – one of Australia’s leading LGBTQIA+ community organisations – to get their perspective.

"Following these conversations and reflection, and with the support of ACON and many other voices in the LGBTQIA+ community, we are proud to keep the Golden Gaytime name. There is a lot of history and pride behind Gaytime, and we have been inspiring a sense of community for many years. Going forward, we want to continue bringing communities together and creating a more diverse, inclusive and equal world for everybody."

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