Kiwi reality TV couple Lily McManus and Richie Boyens have been criticised for an "inappropriate" Instagram post taken at the supermarket that appears to flout the rules and guidelines of New Zealand's current COVID-19 alert level 4 lockdown.
The pair, who got together on The Bachelorette NZ, posed for a snap that appeared to show them licking the same carton of Golden Pash juice. Boyens posted the selfie to his Instagram page with the caption: "Date night at the supermarket".
The photo has since been deleted, but not before backlash from disgruntled followers who felt it was in bad taste amid a global pandemic.
A publicist for McManus has since told Newshub the Golden Pash "was something they purchased and was not returned to the shelves".
"This is pretty tone deaf right now," one follower wrote, according to Stuff.
"Not appropriate guys," said another.
A further screenshot obtained by Stuff showed an Instagram user highlighting the ways in which the stunt went against the current regulations around supermaket shopping, which are designed to stop the spread of deadly pandemic, which has killed more than 80,000 people internationally.
"One person from the bubble is meant to go to the supermarket. No people from the bubble are meant to faux lick stuff."
Boyens gave a statement to Stuff that said the post was meant in good fun.
"We like to have a laugh and have fun together, but we removed the picture really quickly after further thought," he said.
"We just want everyone to stay happy and safe in these times."
