by Tim Sigsworth, Telegraph
Tesco appears to have renamed its Christmas trees as “evergreen trees”.
A 6.5ft “Luxury Evergreen Tree” has been listed for sale at £60 as part of the supermarket chain’s Yuletide range.
Critics said the decision to sell the plastic tree without any reference to Christmas was “stupid nonsense”.
Susan Hall, leader of the Conservatives in the London Assembly, told The Telegraph: “It’s Christmas. It’s a Christmas tree. People don’t tend to put up green plastic fir trees for any other reason.
“It’s all this stupid nonsense about offending other people and other religions. Well, blow that. This is supposed to be a Christian country. We have Christmas. Let’s celebrate it.”
The product is not the first Christmas tree to be sold by Tesco without reference to the Christian celebration. In 2021, the chain sold a 7ft-tall plastic “evergreen tree” for £80.
Two other Christmas trees in the Tesco range do not have Christmas in their name: the £80 “6.5ft luxury pre-lit alpine tree” and £150 “luxury 7ft pre-lit snowy pinecone tree”.
Other Tesco products that do not have Christmas in their name include a “60cm pre-lit LED twig tree” (£9), a 3ft “pre-lit green tree” (£10) and the “festive slices” (£2.50 for two), chicken, bacon and cranberry-stuffed puff pastry rolls.
The supermarket’s festive napkins are also sold as “celebrate” napkins, taking their name from the supermarket’s range of party goods rather than Christmas itself.