Walmart has apologised after making an insensitive joke about the late Fast & Furious star Paul Walker.
The US supermarket chain’s official Twitter account made the error after a story was shared about the fact they now sell Pillsbury Cinnamon Rolls with strawberry and cream-flavoured icing
One Twitter user posted the story on their timeline accompanied by a gif showing a car racing through traffic. Walmart’s account replied with a reference to the actor, who died in a car accident in 2013.
“Hey, Paul Walker. Click it, or ticket,” the person working Walmart’s account wrote back in reference to a quote from an episode of US sitcom Workaholics.
After a social media backlash, Walmart deleted the tweet and issued a statement in response: “We apologise to Paul Walker’s family, friends and fans. The tweet was posted in poor judgment and has been removed.”
Walker’s name is thought to have been selected due to his appearance in the Fast & Furious franchise.
He starred in five of the franchise’s films before getting an emotional send off in Fast & Furious 7 in 2015.
