• Home
  • News
  • Fortune 500
  • Tech
  • Finance
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
RetailLego

Lego just apologized for this offensive toy description

By
Benjamin Snyder
Benjamin Snyder
Managing Editor
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Benjamin Snyder
Benjamin Snyder
Managing Editor
Down Arrow Button Icon
June 10, 2015, 1:06 PM ET
From LEGO

Global toy brand Lego has had some explaining to do over the description of one of its new toys.

The product, called Turg and part of the company’s Mixels line, is a character with a long tongue and a single eye. Lego described the toy on its website as an “experiment gone wrong.” It continued: “Part frog, part chicken, part back-of-the-bus window-licker, this Mixel has the longest tongue of them all.”

That description has received strong criticism from mental health advocates, according to a BBC report. The news organization said mental health charity leaders were appalled at the offensive phrase (a “window-licker” is a derogatory term for a person with mental disability).

“It is unacceptable that a toy company like Lego have used a term that offends people with a disability such as this, especially as the toy is aimed at children,” a representative from charity Mencap told the BBC. “I have a learning disability and I know that it makes me feel different.”

In a statement to the publication, Fiona Wright, Lego’s vice president for the U.K. and Ireland, said:

Lego Mixels’ aim is to inspire creativity using quirky fictional characters to help children express their imaginations. We have very high expectations of our products. This also includes the text we use to describe them towards consumers. We are sorry that wording which could be considered offensive has been used, as this has not been our intention at all. As an immediate result of the input we have received, the product description for the Mixels character Turg has been changed on our website Lego.com. We have looked at our processes to make sure this does not happen again.

Fortune has reached out to Lego for further comment.
[fortune-brightcove videoid=4040972115001]

About the Author
By Benjamin SnyderManaging Editor
LinkedIn iconTwitter icon

Benjamin Snyder is Fortune's managing editor, leading operations for the newsroom.

Prior to rejoining Fortune, he was a managing editor at Business Insider and has worked as an editor for Bloomberg, LinkedIn and CNBC, covering leadership stories, sports business, careers and business news. He started his career as a breaking news reporter at Fortune in 2014.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Retail

Bambas
LawSocial Media
22-year-old Australian TikToker raises $1.7 million for 88-year-old Michigan grocer after chance encounter weeks earlier
By Ed White and The Associated PressDecember 6, 2025
2 days ago
RetailConsumer Spending
U.S. consumers are so financially strained they put more than $1 billion on buy-now, pay later services during Black Friday and Cyber Monday
By Jeena Sharma and Retail BrewDecember 5, 2025
2 days ago
Best vegan meal delivery
Healthmeal delivery
Best Vegan Meal Delivery Services of 2025: Tasted and Reviewed
By Christina SnyderDecember 5, 2025
2 days ago
Retailmeal delivery
Best Prepared Meal Delivery Services of 2025: RD Approved
By Christina SnyderDecember 5, 2025
2 days ago
Steve Milton is the CEO of Chain, a culinary-led pop-culture experience company founded by B.J. Novak and backed by Studio Ramsay Global.
CommentaryFood and drink
Affordability isn’t enough. Fast-casual restaurants need a fandom-first approach
By Steve MiltonDecember 5, 2025
3 days ago
Big TechSpotify
Spotify users lamented Wrapped in 2024. This year, the company brought back an old favorite and made it less about AI
By Dave Lozo and Morning BrewDecember 4, 2025
3 days ago

Most Popular

placeholder alt text
Real Estate
The 'Great Housing Reset' is coming: Income growth will outpace home-price growth in 2026, Redfin forecasts
By Nino PaoliDecember 6, 2025
2 days ago
placeholder alt text
AI
Nvidia CEO says data centers take about 3 years to construct in the U.S., while in China 'they can build a hospital in a weekend'
By Nino PaoliDecember 6, 2025
1 day ago
placeholder alt text
Economy
The most likely solution to the U.S. debt crisis is severe austerity triggered by a fiscal calamity, former White House economic adviser says
By Jason MaDecember 6, 2025
1 day ago
placeholder alt text
Big Tech
Mark Zuckerberg rebranded Facebook for the metaverse. Four years and $70 billion in losses later, he’s moving on
By Eva RoytburgDecember 5, 2025
2 days ago
placeholder alt text
Economy
JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon says Europe has a 'real problem’
By Katherine Chiglinsky and BloombergDecember 6, 2025
1 day ago
placeholder alt text
Uncategorized
Transforming customer support through intelligent AI operations
By Lauren ChomiukNovember 26, 2025
11 days ago
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • Future 50
  • World’s Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
Sections
  • Finance
  • Leadership
  • Success
  • Tech
  • Asia
  • Europe
  • Environment
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Health
  • Retail
  • Lifestyle
  • Politics
  • Newsletters
  • Magazine
  • Features
  • Commentary
  • Mpw
  • CEO Initiative
  • Conferences
  • Personal Finance
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
About Us
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map

© 2025 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.