Sponsors jump ship! 15 companies drop Pete Evans over neo-Nazi meme – but he calls claims ‘garbage’

Pete Evans has been dropped by 15 sponsors and companies after posting a neo-Nazi meme to his Instagram over the weekend. 

The list includes his publisher, Pan Macmillian, Dymocks bookstore, BIG W, Coles, kitchenware company Baccarat, Woolworths, House homewares, Target, Kmart, Booktopia, David Jones and Channel Ten’s I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!

Also reportedly severing ties are Readings and Gleebooks bookstores, while Natural Raw C coconut water revealed that they ended their agreement with the 47-year-old chef earlier this year. 

A majority of these companies shared statements confirming the mass exodus over the past two days. 

Kmart Group – which incorporates Target – told Daily Mail Australia in a statement on Tuesday: ‘The health and wellbeing of our customers and communities remains our number one priority. 

‘We will not condone or tolerate any form of discrimination or intolerance. Unfortunately we feel that recent commentary made by Pete Evans does not reflect our brand values, which is why we have made the decision to remove these book titles from all Kmart and Target stores, effective immediately’. 

A David Jones spokesperson also spoke to Daily Mail Australia, saying: ‘David Jones does not support or in any way endorse the comments made by Pete Evans and we will be no longer be stocking Pete Evans titles effective today, November 17 2020. 

‘All stock of these titles will be returned to the publisher Pan Macmillan in line with the arrangements they have announced.’ 

Woolworths has also distanced itself from Evans, removing his books from shelves at Big W stores. 

‘We appreciate the recent community concern over comments made by Pete Evans,’ a Big W spokesperson said on Tuesday. 

‘Big W has taken the decision to remove his books from sale. As always, we encourage our customers to follow the expert medical advice from health authorities.’  

Woolworths Group, which includes Woolworths supermarkets and Big W, shared the following statement on their website on Tuesday:  ‘Woolworths Supermarkets has conveyed its own concerns directly with supplier Raw C, who subsequently advised its relationship with Pete Evans ended earlier this year. 

‘BIG W reviews its range of books regularly to ensure they’re aligned with its values. It has decided to remove Pete Evans’ book titles from the BIG W range from 17 November in line with Pan Macmillan’s offer.

‘Woolworths Supermarkets has no direct commercial relationships with Pete Evans. Woolworths Supermarkets stock a small number of coconut water and coconut oil products from the ‘Raw C’ brand, which Pete Evans was previously associated with. 

‘This association ended earlier this year and Raw C product labelling is being updated. This will take a few months to flow through to the stock in our stores.’   

Raw C shared a statement, which was posted to the coconut water brand’s website on Tuesday. 

It read: ‘We are both horrified and saddened by the religious and anti-Semitic undertones by this tweet. These views are not supported by our company or staff.

‘There has been a pattern of behaviour by Mr Evans over the last year that has led to Natural Raw C taking steps to disassociate with him both personally and as a brand.

‘This process has been reflected in our renewed branding across our product lines and removal of any social media associations.

‘Our customers, related businesses and staff are our main priority and we will take immediate action to fast track any remaining references that may cause any further hurt or impact to our Raw C community.’   

Coles Group has also exited their arrangements with Evans, telling Nine.com.au in a statement on Tuesday: ‘Coles is committed to providing a safe and inclusive environment in which to work and shop.

‘We have no direct business relationship with Pete Evans, however we currently stock a small number of products from suppliers who have licensing agreements with him.

‘We have spoken to these suppliers who share our concerns regarding recent statements made by Mr Evans and are in discussions regarding the removal of these products from our range.’ 

House homewares shared the following statement on their Instagram account on Tuesday:  ‘HOUSE has recently been made aware of social media posts and comments by Mr Pete Evans which are completely contrary to our values.

‘In our view, the images and views expressed by Mr Evans are reprehensible, unacceptable and offensive. HOUSE will immediately remove the Pete Evans branded products online and will be discontinuing the range in store.’ 

Baccarat kitchenware also shared a statement on Instagram, which read: ‘Baccarat kitchenware has recently been made aware of social media posts and comments by Mr Pete Evans which are completely contrary to our values.

‘In our view, the images and views expressed by Mr Evans are abhorrent, unacceptable and deeply offensive.  Baccarat will immediately terminate its license agreement for the manufacture and retail of its range of Pete Evans branded kitchenware products. 

‘Baccarat retail partners will immediately remove the product range online and will exit all stock in store.’

Booktopia also issued a statement, which read: ‘Booktopia made a decision several months ago to no longer actively promote or partner with Pete Evans, and to ensure his books were not prominently merchandised on our website. 

‘Today, we have made the further decision to take Pan MacMillan up on their offer and are beginning the process of removing his titles from our warehouse. While Pan MacMillan continues to have his titles available, they will be available in our product feeds. We have a clear policy as to which books we do not host’. 

Meanwhile, Pete was dropped by his publisher Pan Macmillan Australia on Monday in response to the outrage over his neo-Nazi Facebook meme.

The publisher of several of his books was quick to distance itself from Evans, and declared his Easy Keto cookbook, released last year, would be its last. 

‘Pan Macmillan does not support the recent posts made by Pete Evans. Those views are not our views as a company or the views of our staff,’ a representative said.

‘Pan Macmillan is currently finalising it’s contractual relationship with Pete Evans and as such will not be entering any further publishing agreements moving forward.

‘If any retailer wishes to return Pete Evans’ books please contact Pan Macmillan.’  

Bookstore chain Dymocks confirmed on Monday evening that it was ‘in the process of removing [Evans’] books from our website and have advised our stores to return their stock as offered by the publisher’.  

Evans was set to join the cast of Channel Ten’s I’m a Celebrity – which begins filming this week – but the network pulled the plug overnight in response to his latest scandal.

‘Network 10 can confirm that Pete Evans will not be appearing on this season of I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!’ a spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia on Tuesday.

According to former Channel 10 executive Rob McKnight, Evans was left ‘furious’ by the decision.

‘This morning at 6:30am the call came through from Beverley McGarvey [Channel 10’s chief content officer] to the production house and she said, “He’s out, don’t let him go into the jungle,” McKnight told Nova FM’s Fitzy & Wippa.   

‘He is now packing his bags and returning to Byron Bay, which isn’t a big drive from where they shoot I’m a Celebrity, and he is apparently furious,’ he added.

McKnight went on to say that Evans was ‘100 per cent’ going into the jungle before he was abruptly dropped early on Tuesday.   

‘Executives at Channel 10 have done the right thing this morning. I think his TV career is done and dusted, no one will touch him. The neo-Nazi stuff is a bit too far,’ McKnight said. 

Meanwhile, entertainment reporter Peter Ford tweeted on Tuesday that Evans was still being ‘paid in full’ despite being dropped from the line-up. 

‘Yes, paid in full. About $200,000. Had he done the show and got to the end he would have made even more,’ Ford wrote.  

Days before Evans’ involvement was confirmed, I’m a Celebrity host Julia Morris said she would be ‘very cross’ if Channel 10 did not approach him to appear on the show. 

Evans has faced significant backlash for sharing a neo-Nazi meme on Facebook on Sunday.

The post was a cartoon of a caterpillar wearing a MAGA cap and a butterfly with the racist Black Sun emblem on its wing – with the suggestion being that neo-Nazism is the natural evolution for Donald Trump supporters.

Pete is an enthusiastic supporter of the president and advocates the baseless claim that Joe Biden only won the 2020 election due to voter fraud.

The Black Sun symbol became infamous after it was introduced by top-ranking Nazi Heinrich Himmler during World War II.   

The symbol has since been adopted by numerous neo-Nazi groups, and by Christchurch mosque shooter Brenton Tarrant.

Evans seemingly confirmed he was aware of the meaning of the symbol when a fan stated they recognised it, and Pete replied: ‘I was waiting for someone to see that.’

He later deleted the post on Monday afternoon and replaced it with an image of a rainbow heart alongside a sarcastic non-apology in which he claimed he would be ‘studying all of the symbols that have ever existed’ to make sure he doesn’t offend anyone again.   

‘Sincere apologies to anyone who misinterpreted a previous post of a caterpillar and a butterfly having a chat over a drink and perceived that I was promoting hatred,’ he wrote.

‘I look forward to studying all of the symbols that have ever existed and research them thoroughly before posting. Hopefully this symbol resonates deeply into the hearts of ALL! ‘   

The former My Kitchen Rules judge  laughed off his latest scandal outside his farm in northern NSW on Tuesday morning, offering a half-hearted apology to those offended by his racist social media post.

Barefoot Evans – whose career has plunged to new depths after being shunned by a number of companies – grinned widely as he told Daily Mail Australia: ‘I apologise to anyone who might have taken it out of context.’ 

‘I promise you, whatever anybody is saying, that is not who I am,’ Evans insisted, before bursting into a fit of giggles.      

‘And once again, deepest apologies to anyone who might have taken offence to that comment, or the image that I shared, because it was never meant to be taken in that way,’ he added.  

When asked how he felt about being axed from I’m a Celebrity, Evans once again laughed hysterically, saying: ‘Oh! I don’t even know what you’re talking about!’ 

On Tuesday afternoon, he shared an Instagram video in which he called the allegations against him ‘garbage’ while cuddling up to one of his horses.    

‘Well just when you thought 2020 couldn’t get any more bizarre. The mainstream media have come out and labelled me a racist and a Neo-Nazi. The fact that I had to actually google what neno-nazi meant is pretty telling,’ he said, laughing. 

Evans went on: ‘I just want to tell you this once and one time only,  it is completely untrue, un-factual and a load of garbage. I could actually say a few more words about it but I wont. 

‘Anybody that who knows me knows I stand for long term sustainable health for all humanity I don’t think there is anything more I need to say except peace, love to you all,’ he concluded.       

It’s the latest in a string of controversies for the disgraced chef and television star.  

In July, Evans sparked outrage when he falsely claimed that Covid-19 was a ‘f**king hoax’ and that the pandemic ‘doesn’t compare to what is happening in the world on a large scale’.

Three months earlier, he was fined $25,000 by the Therapeutic Goods Association for promoting the Biocharger lamp and claiming it could treat ‘Wuhan coronavirus’.

Evans has also been scrutinised for his dangerous anti-vaccination views in the past.  

He recently claimed he was not an anti-vaxxer, but was instead ‘pro-choice’ and ‘pro-safe vac’ – terms which incorrectly suggest some vaccines are not safe.

Anti-vaxxers often spread conspiracy theories with no basis in scientific fact. They claim that ‘boosting’ the immune system through diet, supplements and sunlight can make people immune to certain diseases, which is completely false.

Before vaccination campaigns in the 1960s and ’70s, diseases such as tetanus, diphtheria and whooping cough killed thousands of children, whereas today in Australia, dying from one of these infections is extremely rare.