Walmart Apologizes for Selling Christmas Sweaters Appearing to Show Santa Taking Cocaine

Walmart Canada has apologized for selling a number of inappropriate Christmas sweaters, including one appearing to show Santa getting ready to take cocaine.

The company has confirmed that the items have now been removed from their online store after images of the "ugly Christmas sweaters" were posted on social media.

"These sweaters, sold by a third-party seller on Walmart.ca, do not represent Walmart's values and have no place on our website," the company said in a statement to Global News. "We have removed these products from our marketplace. We apologize for any unintended offense this may have caused."

One jumper shows a character believed to be Santa Clause sitting behind a table with three lines of white powder laid out in front of him. The jumper also has the slogan "let it snow" written across it.

The online description for the jumper read: "We all know how snow works. It's white, powdery and the best snow comes straight from South America. That's bad news for jolly old St. Nick, who lives far away in the North Pole.

"That's why Santa really likes to savor the moment when he gets his hands on some quality, grade A, Colombian snow.

"He packs it in perfect lines on his coffee table and then takes a big whiff to smell the high quality aroma of the snow."

Other jumpers sold at the Walmart Canada store, sold via the third-party company FUN Wear, include one showing Santa, with no pants on, standing in front of a fire and roasting his "chesnuts." Another sweater showed Santa being whipped BDSM-style along with the words "Santa has been naughty."

Similar sweaters, including one showing Santa being probed by aliens, are still available to purchase from FUN Wear's website.

Walmart did not immediately respond to a request for further comment.

Earlier this month, Amazon removed several offensive items from its website after it was found selling Nazi concentration camp-themed Christmas ornaments.

The company was heavily criticized for selling the decorations and other gifts with Auschwitz imagery on them, including Christmas tree baubles.

"Selling 'Christmas ornaments' with images of Auschwitz does not seem appropriate. Auschwitz on a bottle opener is rather disturbing and disrespectful," tweeted the Auschwitz Memorial.

The Auschwitz Memorial later found similar images to purchase on Amazon, including an "arbeit macht frei" [work sets you free] bath towel. The phrase appeared on the main gates at Auschwitz, where at least 1.1 million people died during World War II.

In a statement at the time, Amazon confirmed: "All sellers must follow our selling guidelines and those who do not will be subject to action, including potential removal of their account.

"The products in question have been removed."