M&M Company is making changes to the packaging of its candy products and causing a cultural uproar

NEW YORK, USA - Candy maker M&M'S has made a statement with its latest candy pack, featuring an all-female cast of characters - including Purple, its newest addition, once again putting the company deep into the culture wars controversy. Candy manufacturer Mars announced that the limited edition all-female packaging will include only the colors: purple, brown, and green, from the female characters, which are placed upside down on the packaging “to celebrate women who are upending the status quo everywhere.” The new candy packages are now on sale.

Purple, who was announced last year and M&M's first new character in a decade, is, according to the brand, a diva who ditches strappy heels and has a quirky, confident personality. “The M&M brand is on a mission to use the power of fun to create meaningful connections, as we work to create a world where everyone feels they belong,” Gabrielle Wesley, chief marketing officer for Mars Wrigley North America, said in a press release.

The packages come in three options: milk chocolate, peanut butter, and peanut. Mars said a portion of the profits will go to organizations that "uplift and empower women," including She Is The Music and We Are Moving the Needle, a non-profit that supports women in the music industry.

The all-female group quickly sparked "culture wars" on right-wing news networks and on social media, with one Fox anchor saying the feminist pack was emboldening China. “If this is what you need to validate, and it's a color that you think is associated with feminism, then I'm worried about you,” presenter Martha MacCallum explained Monday, adding: “I think this makes China say: ‘Okay, keep focusing on that, keep focusing on giving people their own color of M&M’S, while we take care of collecting the mineral reserves of the whole world.’”

M&M'S Product Changes: Aside from adding Purple to the lineup, M&M'S has made other changes to the 82-year-old brand in recent months, including tweaking its logo and introducing new footwear for its six products, in an effort to modernize the candy. Green Candy has replaced her shoes with other sneakers, while Brown Candy wears more sensible low heels, while Red and Yellow's shoes now have laces, Orange's shoes are no longer tied, while Blue's shoes have only slightly changed.

However, there was a huge reaction to Green's new shoes last year. "M&A changes aren't progressive, give Greene her shoes back," declared a Washington Post op-ed.

In a provocatively titled article, Rolling Stone described the change as “nothing more than structural change,” and thousands signed a petition to “keep green M&Ms sexy.” Changes to beloved characters can spark a strong response on social media.

For example, when Lola Bunny got a new look for the new Space Jam movie, fans were similarly angry. Jane Huang, global vice president of M&M’S, previously told Ofoq News that the reaction to the Green candy change was “unprecedented.”

“We now know for sure that M&M’S has become a cultural icon,” she added. M&M’S has no plans to bring back the Green candy format.

“The characters are constantly evolving to reflect the times we live in,” Huang added, explaining that the brand hopes that “consumers will identify with our characters much more than their shoes.”