Producers of Kazakhstan chocolate, which features the national flag on its packaging, will not have to change the design following updated rules on the use of state symbols, reports infohub.kz.
On July 7, the government revised the rules for the use and display of the national flag, amending the relevant resolution. One of the provisions prohibits using the flag of Kazakhstan for advertising purposes.
This raised public concern: would the packaging of the popular Kazakhstan chocolate have to change? On the social media platform Threads, Kazakh users even joked about it. "The flag of Kazakhstan is now banned from being worn on clothing, depicted on tablecloths, bed linen, and so on, and also from being used for advertising. Meanwhile, Kazakhstan chocolate goes: 'Pu pu pu'," one user wrote.
A correspondent sought clarification from the press service of the Ministry of Culture and Information. There, officials explained that the amendments do not impose a ban on the sale of products that were produced and put into circulation earlier. "It is necessary to distinguish between the product itself and its advertisement. If the image of the national flag is part of the existing product packaging, this does not automatically constitute a violation of the law. The use of the national flag in advertising is only permitted in compliance with the legislation on state symbols and advertising. For example, the sale of Kazakhstan chocolate produced with previously approved packaging is not prohibited," the ministry stated.
The Ministry of Culture clarified that when developing new advertising campaigns, producers are advised to take into account the updated legal requirements.
Earlier, the Ministry of Culture answered popular questions about the new rules on the use of state symbols and clarified whether clothing featuring the flag of Kazakhstan can be worn. It also reported what penalties apply for violating the rules on the use of the national flag.