Alex Trelinski
A MAKER of anti-acid tablets says advertising posters will be taken down in the Valencia region which suggested the pills would clear heartburn caused by eating Valencian paella.
The adverts for Almax featured a photo of a paella with the tag-line: “Almax, and enjoy Valencia without acidity.”
Hospitality associations Conhostor and Hosteria Valencia had threatened the manufacturer Almirall with all ‘possible action’ to protect Valencian gastronomy if the adverts were not withdrawn.
A statement from the groups said: “Our popular dish has been pointed out as causing acidity, therefore linking one of our stand-out culinary offerings with the feeling of discomfort.”
They added that the campaign damaged ‘tourism and the entire chain of farmers, producers, and professionals in the sector’.
An Almirall source told SER Radio that their campaign was done ‘with the best intention’ to promote Spanish gastronomy and they had run similar adverts in the past with little controversy.
On Thursday they drew the ire of the Asturias president, Adrian Barbon, after their promotion took a the popular regional stew dish called fabada.
Almirall removed the fabada ad in Asturias after Barbon called on the manufacturer to ‘apologise to the Asturian people’ for a ‘disrespectful’ campaign.
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