Marks & Spencer have rubbished claims their own-brand toilet roll is embossed with the Arabic word for God.
In a clip shared widely on social media, an outraged customer films the high street giant’s Aloe Vera 3-ply toilet tissue, alleging the Arabic script for Allah is visible.
But M&S swiftly investigated and denied the claims, pointing out the motif was ‘categorically an aloe vera leaf’.
The clip has divided opinion online, with some vowing to boycott M&S and others supporting the chain, labelling it a ‘ridiculous conspiracy theory.’
The clip, which has been shared widely over the last few days, shows one roll taken out of the £2.50 pack and placed on the roof of a car.
An unidentified man then speaks over the video while zooming in on the toilet tissue.
He urges his ‘brothers and sisters’ not to buy the £2.50 rolls because ‘every toilet tissue has the name of Allah on it’.
He says: ‘Recently I bought toilet tissue from Marks & Spencer and when I opened one of them, it has the name of Allah, as you can see.
‘So please brothers and sisters, prevent yourselves from buying this particular toilet tissue, or try boycott Marks & Spencers, because every toilet tissue has the name of Allah on it. Thank you very much, please share this video.’
A spokesman for M&S said: ‘The motif on the aloe vera toilet tissue, which we have been selling for over five years, is categorically of an aloe vera leaf and we have investigated and confirmed this with our suppliers.’
Some viewers have since pledged not to shop at M&S again, including Luna Andris, who commented: ‘#boycottmarksandspencer!’
But other customers have rallied to support M&S and slammed the ‘ridiculous’ claims.
On Twitter, Amina Jane Ishaq said: ‘Sorry you’ve had to deal with such a ridiculous thing M&S! Yet again I’m embarrassed by my fellow Muslims. I love your stores and will continue shopping in them.’
YouTube user Jason King said: ‘This is called pareidolia. That’s when your brain sees a pattern that isn’t really there. For example, when you look at a cloud and it looks like a rabbit, or you look at the moon and see a face.
‘Religious people tend to suffer from it more than most. They see the face of Jesus in a slice of toast, or the name of God on toilet paper. So do people who are into conspiracy theories.’
Vanah Abdyl commented: ‘That’s an indentation from handling the toilet paper you idiot.’