Lyle's Golden Syrup rebrand to drop biblical references

Lyle's Golden Syrup is being rebranded to remove a reference to an Old Testament story.

Traditional tin packaging for the much-loved baking product shows the picture of a dead lion surrounded by a swarm of bees in a reference to Judges 14 and the story of Samson and the lion. 

In the story, Samson kills the lion with his bare hands and later sees bees swarming around it making honey. He takes some of the honey and eats it. 

The design for the tins goes back nearly 150 years to founder Abram Lyle, who was a devout Christian. 

The image of the lion and bees was accompanied by part of a riddle containing the words, "Out of the strong came forth sweetness."

The tins have been redesigned to show only a lion's head and remove the line from Lyle's riddle. They are being rolled out from this month. 

"Our fresh, contemporary design brings Lyle's into the modern day, appealing to the everyday British household while still feeling nostalgic and authentically Lyle's," said the company's brand director, James Whiteley. 

Helen Edwards, who teaches at London Business School, told the BBC the revised design would be less "exclusionary".

"The story of it coming from religious belief could put the brand in an exclusionary space, especially if it was to go viral on X or TikTok," she said. 

News
Is religion making a comeback among young Americans? Study urges caution
Is religion making a comeback among young Americans? Study urges caution

New research from Pew Research Center suggests that while there are encouraging signs of religious engagement among younger adults, the evidence of a broader resurgence remains inconclusive.

Calls for inquiry into Queensland assisted suicide system
Calls for inquiry into Queensland assisted suicide system

Despite the rise in deaths, the watering down of safeguards has been proposed.

Justin Welby says government reparations for slavery a ‘moral evil’
Justin Welby says government reparations for slavery a ‘moral evil’

Welby was supportive of Project Spire during his time as Archbishop of Canterbury.

South Sudanese churches work for peace as tensions mount
South Sudanese churches work for peace as tensions mount

South Sudan is the world's youngest sovereign nation.