Image of 'Chernobyl-grown' carrots is fake

Social media users shared an image of a bag of 'British Carrots’ from Tesco.

(Reuters) - A photograph that shows a bag of carrots from British supermarket Tesco has been edited to include a ‘grown in Chernobyl’ label.

Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine became the site of the world’s worst nuclear disaster after a reactor exploded in April 1986.

The disaster, which struck during a botched safety test at the plant, forced tens of thousands of people to abandon the contaminated area permanently.

On social media, users have shared an image of a bag of  British Carrots’ from Tesco, but with a label saying that the produce was grown in Chernobyl.

The photo, now removed, had been captioned: “Goodbye EU veg - we don’t need you, we’ve now got our own sources. Errr - hang on”.

The image, however, appears to have been digitally altered. Tesco told Reuters in an email that they do not source from Chernobyl or have any growers with the name Chernobyl. Furthermore, an earlier upload of the same image reveals that original writing on the label, which had read “UK”, has been overwritten.

In Tesco’s this evening pic.twitter.com/obNbyS5mD1

— Mike Neaverson (@MikeNeaverson) December 21, 2020

While likely intended as a joke, comments in shares of the image reveal mixture of reactions, including confusion and anger along with amusement.

Hence, the word ‘Chernobyl’ has been edited onto the label. Tesco says it does not source from Chernobyl or have any growers with the name Chernobyl.