Customers have complained after the shop Hema marketed hotdogs as ‘vegan’, while also saying they contain chicken and pork.

The store admitted that the term ‘wasn’t the handiest choice’ after consumers on Twitter widely shared criticism of the snacks, reports RTL Nieuws.

A Twitter account called ‘bonus vegan’ pointed out that Hema had ‘really missed the point’ with its marketing. ‘It is vegan, but, then again, actually, it isn’t.’ Others called it ‘a kind of vegan washing’.

In the packaging, the shop describes its ‘mini, vegan hotdog roll’ kit as being made with chicken with a one-star ‘better living’ animal welfare accreditation. The sauce is, reassuringly, ‘our unique, vegan mustard sauce.’

HEMA slaat de plank volledig mis met deze marketing. Het is vegan, maar toch ook niet🤦🏼‍♀️ @HEMA pic.twitter.com/UMJG3eR9Sx

— Bonusvegan (@bonusvegan) October 4, 2022

The make-it-yourself packs are sold in a pork, chicken and vegetarian version, reports RTL Nieuws.

Hema reportedly said that something had gone wrong with its new packaging. ‘For practical reasons, the text for the vegetable sausage was not changed, and it now says vegan everywhere,’ a spokesperson told the news site. ‘That’s not very handy.’

The high street staple plans to update packaging to make the product clearer in several months.