Krispy Kreme has sparked controversy by offering a free doughnut to anyone who has proof that they have been vaccinated against coronavirus.
"Starting today, guests who show a valid Covid-19 vaccination card at any Krispy Kreme shop in the US can receive a free ... doughnut – anytime, any day, even every day – through the remainder of 2021," the company wrote in a press release.
While a lot of the reaction to the announcement has been positive, some have blasted Krispy Kreme for "selling poison to people".
The Daily Show tweeted: "If you don’t qualify yet, don’t worry. Krispy Kreme still offers affordable preexisting conditions."
Writer and podcaster Bridget Phetasy tweeted: "Obesity is one of the primary factors that affects your response to Covid and these f*****s are giving away a donut a day if you’re vaccinated. Everything is so dumb."
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She later added: "I’ve offended body positivity activists and donut lovers and people who don’t understand irony. It’s barely 8am. My work here is done today."
CBS News White House reporter Kathryn Watson went against the criticism, writing: "I see people on this website actually getting mad at Krispy Kreme for offering free donuts, like people have no agency and responsibility in their own decisions. Twitter is so dumb."
Krispy Kreme has also said that they will deliver doughnuts to healthcare workers who administer shots and give their own employees time off to go get the vaccine when they become eligible, The Hill reported.
The company said it is "offering up to four hours of paid time off" so that workers can go get the vaccine.
Krispy Kreme Chief Marketing Officer Dave Skena said: “We all want to get Covid-19 behind us as fast as possible and we want to support everyone doing their part to make the country safe by getting vaccinated as soon as the vaccine is available to them."
In a statement to The Independent, Chelsea Michael of public relations firm FleishmanHillard said its client Krispy Kreme is “not asking people to get a free doughnut every day, we’re just making it available through the end of the year, especially given that not every group is eligible to get vaccinated yet”.
She also said that the initiative is just a “gesture that we hope sweetens people’s lives as the country accelerates to put this virus behind us”.
Several other companies are offering similar deals, giving their workers paid time off to get the vaccine. Tyson, Target, Aldi, Trader Joe's and McDonald's are some examples of companies trying to incentivise their employees to get the shot.
State legislatures are also working on initiatives giving employees time off as a part of the push for mass vaccinations. Scandal-ridden New York governor Andrew Cuomo signed a new law on 12 March that "grant public officers or employees four hours leave per injection to receive the Covid-19 vaccine".
President Biden announced on 11 March that all adults will be made eligible to be inoculated by 1 May.
