Lyle descendent hits out at rebrand to remove Bible link from packaging

A descendent of Abram Lyle, the devout Christian creator of the Lyle’s Golden Syrup tin design, has criticised a rebrand of the product’s packaging that removes references to the Bible.

The design of the tin has remained largely unchanged because it was created within the Eighties by Lyle, who was the elder of a Presbyterian church in Greenock, Scotland. 

He was inspired by his Christian faith to design the tin with a particular green and gold lion surrounded by a swarm of bees – a reference to the Old Testament story of Samson and the Lion. 

Accompanying the image was the biblical quote, “Out of the strong got here forth sweetness.”

These at the moment are being ditched by manufacturer Tate & Lyle Sugars to point out only a lion’s face in a move that has sparked a backlash. 

Alexander Linklater, the great-great-great grandson of Abram Lyle, said the rebrand was “a foul call within the depressing tradition of unnecessary redesigns”.

He told The Telegraph: “They are changing something that’s each very distinctive and familiar to something generic and woolly.

“It was Britain’s oldest brand. The rebranding is a move away from what was an actual piece of economic history.”

He added, “I don’t think the feeble woolly-shaped lion is superb. Why throw away 140 years of proven branding?”

Tate & Lyle Sugars has said that religion played “no part” within the rebrand of the tin.