Walmart Removes Offensive T-Shirt From Stores: 'Not Intentional'

A t-shirt for sale at Walmart has gained viral attention after one customer pointed out a rude mishap in the design.

Twitter user @whosurdaddienow shared a picture of the green t-shirt at Walmart that features a recycling-positive phrase.

With the letters "RE" in a large font, the other side features three endings including "cycle," "use," "new," and "think."

But the placement of the words raised some eyebrows as customers realized that the t-shirt had inadvertently spelled out a rude word.

A spokesperson for Walmart told Newsweek: "This was not intentional, and the t-shirt has been removed. For context, this item was only available in Canada."

The t-shirt that was on sale for $5 in Canada stores is part of the George fashion label that has been owned by Walmart since 1999. The brand is a huge success in the U.K. where it is stocked in ASDA supermarket stores but is seen less in North America.

"I need this shirt before Walmart realizes what they have done. Find the hidden word," wrote @whosurdaddienow in a tweet that has since received over 1.3 million views and more than 14,000 likes.

In thousands of responses, Twitter users shared their reactions. "I hope this is real. Driving to Walmart now," wrote one commenter. Another said: "Oh. Oh dear."

A few people struggled to see what the issue was with the shirt, and the poster helpfully instructed that they "read down."

This is not the first time, however, that an accidentally rude design has captured the attention of the internet. Last year, a $1.5 million home left people in stitches for its phallic-shaped swimming pool.

Elsewhere, a transparent toilet seat design featuring dried flowers was slammed as Redditors said that a "transparent toilet seat seems like the worst design decision."

"I saw the shirt at a Walmart by my house," Twitter user @whosurdaddienow told Newsweek. "[It] made me laugh!"

Many social media users, aware that the shirt would not be around for long after the mistake had been spotted, rushed to get hold of the top before it was pulled from stores.

"Knowing Walmart, it's only a matter of time before they disappear and it's just a funny little story," another shopper who managed to get hold of the t-shirt told Newsweek.

But the now-removed t-shirt did cause lots of amusement online as people shared their reactions.

"Laughed out loud when I spotted that," said one Twitter user, while another wrote: "I want this because I'm a tree hugger. The hidden word is simply a bonus."

"I always wonder exactly how many layers of approval these things go through," pondered another internet user.