German toilet freshener pulled after uproar in Ukraine

DPA/MoscowGerman household cleaning giant Henkel has pulled a toilet freshener from Eastern European markets after an uproar because the product closely resembles the Ukrainian flag.A company spokesman said yesterday that the colours for the Bref Duo Stick freshener (pictured left) were meant to resemble hygiene and citrus fragrance and were chosen by mistake.“We did not intend to vilify Ukraine,” he told DPA by telephone from Duesseldorf.A commercial for the product went viral online after being shown on Russian TV, which many Ukrainians watch. It shows the small sticker resembling Ukraine’s blue and yellow flag being applied inside a toilet bowl, which is then flushed.The spokesman, who did not disclose his name, said that the freshener had not yet been introduced to the Ukrainian market.