No, Tesco Has Not “Dropped Christmas” Viral Claims About ‘Evergreen Trees’ Are Misleading
How the Controversy Started
A misleading narrative surged across X, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok after a cropped product photo from Tesco went viral, showing packaging labelled “6.5ft Luxury Evergreen Tree.” Commentators seized on this isolated descriptor to argue that Tesco had abandoned Christmas terminology altogether. The outrage was amplified by culture-war pages and influencers who framed the wording as evidence of the supermarket “appeasing a minority” by removing Christmas references from its holiday catalogue. One X post alone surpassed two million impressions, cementing the rumour in the public conversation before any facts were checked.
Understanding the Product Label
A closer inspection of the product and its packaging reveals a far more mundane explanation. Tesco labels certain artificial trees as “evergreen,” “alpine,” “frosted,” “fibre-optic,” or “PVC mix,” depending on style and material. These terms are used purely for categorisation within its Christmas range, allowing customers to distinguish different models without ambiguity. The “evergreen” tree in question is marketed, sold, and displayed as a Christmas tree. The full packaging beyond the cropped viral image contains festive graphics, holiday branding, and placement in Tesco’s Christmas aisle. The descriptor has no cultural or religious implication; it simply identifies the type of artificial tree.
Tesco’s Christmas Campaign Confirms the Rumour Is False
Contrary to claims circulating online, Tesco’s 2025 Christmas campaign is both active and prominently visible. The supermarket’s nationwide festive rollout includes a Christmas-themed television advert, holiday in-store décor, seasonal catalogues, charity gift drives, and an extensive Christmas product range clearly labelled as such. Real and artificial Christmas trees dozens of models are listed on the Tesco website explicitly under the “Christmas” category, described as “Christmas trees,” and marketed in the same way Tesco has done for years. The notion that the company has suddenly rebranded Christmas is incompatible with its actual marketing and operational reality.
Tesco’s Response and Corporate Record
Tesco clarified that the term “evergreen tree” is a practical label and not a shift in seasonal identity or religious positioning. Executives reiterated earlier this year that Christmas remains one of Tesco’s most important commercial periods. Their retail strategy, including projections for 2025, centres heavily on Christmas shoppers, continuing a trend from 2024 described internally as Tesco’s strongest Christmas season on record. Nothing from the organisation’s leadership, public statements, or economic planning suggests any distance from the holiday. Instead, all available evidence points to a continuation of established Christmas traditions within its branding and sales approach.
Why the False Claim Gained Momentum
The viral outrage reflects a broader pattern in online misinformation, where minor details are extracted from innocuous contexts and reframed into narratives of cultural decline or corporate capitulation. A single cropped image proved sufficient to fuel widespread confusion because it aligned with pre-existing culture-war expectations. The disinformation spread rapidly not because of factual validity but because the framing encouraged emotional, polarised engagement. When examined in full context the product range, packaging, seasonal campaign, and Tesco’s official communication the claim that the supermarket “dropped Christmas” collapses entirely.
CyberPoe Verdict
Tesco has not abandoned Christmas, nor has it replaced Christmas branding with generic terminology. The viral narrative is rooted in a misinterpretation of a standard product descriptor that was detached from its full packaging and context. The evidence demonstrates that Tesco’s Christmas campaign remains unchanged, and the “evergreen tree” label is a functional description rather than a cultural statement.
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