Los Angeles, CA – Uber Eats found itself in the midst of controversy when their 2024 Super Bowl commercial received backlash over its portrayal of a life-threatening peanut allergy as humorous. The ad, which featured several celebrities and regular people making comically absent-minded mistakes, also included a scene showing a man having an allergic reaction after consuming peanut butter.
The not-for-profit advocacy group Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE) condemned the ad, stating that it is disappointing and insensitive to use a life-threatening food allergy as a source of humor. They emphasized that food allergies are not a joke and should not be trivialized, especially considering the 33 million Americans who suffer from this condition.
In response to the criticism, Dr. Sung Poblete, CEO of FARE, revealed that Uber has agreed to remove the offending scene from the ad that will be aired during the Super Bowl. However, the company does not plan to edit or remove the ad from its online platforms.
Despite the inclusion of a disclaimer in the ad, urging people not to forget the presence of peanuts in peanut butter, critics remained unappeased. Social media users expressed their dismay, comparing the portrayal of the peanut allergy to other serious medical conditions, and called for the commercial to be reedited.
Uber declined to comment on the controversy, leaving the fate of the ad’s online presence uncertain as public opinion continues to weigh in on the matter.