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Pigskin shoes: fine for Adidas in Turkey

Symbolic image(Bild: kosoff )

Turkey has imposed a fine of more than 15,000 dollars (14,464.80 euros) on the German sporting goods giant Adidas for failing to inform customers that a shoe model contains pigskin.

The advertising regulator of the Muslim-majority country accused Adidas of merely referring to the "Samba OG" sports shoe model as being made of "genuine leather" - without specifying that it was pigskin, according to a statement obtained by the AFP news agency on Thursday.

Reference should have been made
The use of materials that "contradict the religious sensibilities of the majority of society" must be clearly mentioned in advertising and product descriptions, it said.

The Adidas model in question is shown here:

Adidas confirmed at AFP's request that it had updated the material specification on its website - without commenting on the penalty imposed.

Religious authority: pigskin does not become "pure" through tanning
In 2020, a religious authority in Turkey ruled that it was "not permissible" to make clothing or shoes from pigskin. Almost all Muslim scholars agree that pigskin cannot be "made pure" by tanning or similar processes, it said.