A Tesco market in Liverpool Street, London, is located near a large mosque. Exquisitely sensitive to customers’ needs, they of course were delighted to put up a Pringles display of handy foods with which Muslim customers might break a Ramadan fast. Including Pringles crisps. (Potato crisps are called potato chips in the US.)

The sign on it says “Ramadan Mubarak” which means “Have a blessed Ramadan.”

Hurrah Tesco and Pringles for knowing about Ramadan! Hurrah Pringles and Tesco for knowing when Ramadan is! Boo Liverpool Street Tesco for putting “Smokey Bacon Flavour” Pringles on the display although Muslims are forbidden to eat pork.

Bless their hearts.

Some who observed this posted documentation and commented on Facebook and Twitter.

Raza Hassan may have been the first to spot it and post a photo.

Mona AlQazzaz tweeted “@Tesco’s idea of wishing #Muslims Ramadan Mubarak by offering smokey bacon Pringles. Please tell me it’s a mistake.”

Himmad Khan posted “Really @Pringles? What kind of sick joke is this?”

Pringles said they’d had in mind that the display would contain original Pringles plus the salt-and-vinegar and the sour-cream-and-onion varieties. Not smokey bacon.

They said they were sorry, as I’m sure they were.

We apologise for the mistake, which was made in one store in London. These Pringles cans have now been moved. It was never our intention to cause any offence and we’ve taken steps to ensure this doesn’t happen again.

Tesco, said by The Telegraph to be “equally contrite,” didn’t actually apologize:

We are proud to offer a wide range of meals and products to meet the needs of our customers during Ramadan. We recognise these Pringles weren’t in the most suitable place and our store colleagues have now moved them.

“The ‘Smoggy Tinsel’ flavor isn’t selling. I thought you said Christians eat anything.”

The Pringles apology includes some minimizing (one store), but it’s accurate minimizing. I think it’s an okay apology. Tesco didn’t really apologize, but did admit their mistake. And indeed it seems clear it was a mistake.

Both were smart enough to step around the readily available excuse that “Smokey Bacon Flavour” Pringles do not contain bacon or pork of any kind. Others gleefully made this point, however. Also, Pringles are not allowed to call themselves potato crisps or potato chips because they are less than half potato. There’s a bunch of wheat starch and flour in there. I can see why no one wanted to go down the road of naming ingredients.

I’m with Raza Hassan, who said he wasn’t offended at all, “but the irony of it was hilarious.”