PETA pressures Trader Joe's to ditch packaging with problematic 'circus artwork'

After being pressured by the far-left animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, Trader Joe's has redesigned item packaging to remove "circus artwork."

PETA took issue with packaging on several items because they depicted "elephants in circus settings or performing circus-style tricks." The problematic packaging was featured on toilet paper, peanut snacks, and organic peanut butter.

The animal rights group said in a statement that it reached out to representatives at Trader Joe's — which is known for offering stores mostly stocked with their own products — that circus animals are abused and depictions of circus animals do not reflect their true nature.

"PETA pointed out that in nature, elephants spend their time roaming vast spaces, foraging, or playing with their families. In circuses, it's standard practice to beat, shock, chain, and whip elephants, lions, bears, and other animals in order to intimidate them into performing confusing and painful tricks. Circuses tear baby animals away from their mothers, lock animals in cages and on chains, and cart them from city to city," PETA said in a statement.

Trader Joe's then complied with the request.

"The new designs at Trader Joe's perfectly reflect that our society no longer tolerates beating elephants into submission for circus shows," PETA spokesperson Rachel Mathews said.

Trader Joe's CEO Dane Bane said that although some items with the circus animal packaging remains in stores, no more will be made once all current stock with the packaging is sold, Fox News reported.

This is not the first time that PETA has convinced a company to redesign packaging over what it deemed a problematic depiction of animals.

Last year, Nabisco changed the iconic design on its animal cracker boxes after being pressured by the animal rights group.