Clothing brand offers huge discount only if customers complete woke course (2024)

The North Face has come under fire for the new scheme (Image: Getty)

An American clothing company popular in the UK has been criticised for making customers take a "woke" course to receive a 20 percent discount.

The North Face, which has several shops located across the UK, launched an online "racial inclusion" programme last month.

The outdoor goods retailer is asking customers to complete a multiple-choice quiz at the end of all four modules to receive a 20 percent discount. Subjects covered during the course include "white privilege".

But Free Speech Union founder Toby Young criticised the programme and said: "The irony is that The North Face is implicitly acknowledging here that all its customers are white.

"After all, why would black customers need to take a course about 'white privilege' to get a 20 percent discount? But if all customers are white, shouldn’t it be examining the beam in its own eye?"

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The programme - named the Allyship in the Outdoors - claims to help customers "build awareness and knowledge of people of colour in the outdoors" and "understand the barriers and challenges by listening to lived experiences", the Sun reported.

For those looking to take the course, it takes up a whole hour. One segment of the course asks: "How many people of colour do you see on the slopes, on the hills or on the trails?"

It also references the 2020 killing of George Floyd, saying it "fostered a new awakening in the outdoors that racial inclusion and representation matters."

Another segment claims "white privilege" gives you "access to the outdoors when others can be excluded because of historic, enduring racism and biases."

Another segment of the programme encourages its customers to raise complaints with their managers or colleagues if they are called "woke".

Furious social media users were quick to hit back at the campaign, with one posting on X, formerly Twitter: "North Face went full woke as well? Pity. Guess I won't use my privilege anymore to buy their stuff, problem solved." Others threatened to "boycott" the popular brand.

The North Face was contacted for comment.

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