Vt.'s Ben & Jerry's issues pro-gay marriage flavor

[March 17, 2012]  MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) -- Ice cream maker Ben & Jerry's is supporting gay marriage in Britain by relabeling an apple pie flavor as Apple-y Ever After.

The South Burlington-based subsidiary of the global food and cosmetics conglomerate Unilever is issuing the newly labeled ice cream in the United Kingdom, where the government has said it plans to legalize gay marriage and has begun public consultation before introducing legislation.

When Vermont passed such a law two years ago, the ice cream company celebrated by briefly repackaging its Chubby Hubby flavor Hubby Hubby.

In Britain, Ben & Jerry's is relabeling its Oh My Apple Pie flavor, which isn't available in the United States.

"The point is to raise awareness around same-sex marriage issues," company spokeswoman Liz Stewart said Friday.

The change won't affect ice cream pints sold in stores, but the label at the company's scoop shops will be changed, Stewart said.

"We've been an activist brand really since our inception in 1978," she said. "We've stuck up for social justice issues in the past, and it's something we'll continue to do going forward."

She said people at Ben & Jerry's "believe love is love."

"Marriage," she said, "should just be defined by love and commitment."

[Associated Press; By DAVE GRAM]

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.