Discount retailer Wowcher has issued an apology following a marketing email that appeared to joke about a recent crocodile attack on a toddler. The message, sent to subscribers on Saturday, contained the subject line: “Snap up these deals quicker than a croc can catch a kid!”
This incident occurred shortly after a three-year-old boy was attacked in a crocodile enclosure at Johnsons of Old Hurst in Cambridgeshire on Thursday. The child, who was rescued by zoo employees, remains in critical but stable condition at Addenbrooke’s Hospital. Following the event, a 30-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and released on bail.
The email prompted significant backlash on social media, with many users branding the marketing copy as offensive and calling for internal changes. Wowcher acknowledged the mistake in a formal statement, describing the language as “unacceptable” and admitting it should never have been approved for distribution.
The company expressed deep regret for the distress caused to the victim’s family and confirmed that they are conducting an urgent review of their internal approval processes. Wowcher has also paused its scheduled marketing content to implement stricter safeguards, stressing that there is no excuse for the error.
