Big W has abandoned in-store announcements that expressed support for the Indigenous voice to parliament, citing responses from customers and staff.
The discount chain, owned by supermarket operator Woolworths, recently used an acknowledgment of country across its stores that affirmed support for the constitutional change to be voted on at an upcoming referendum.
“Based on customer and store team feedback, we will be reverting to the previous acknowledgment of country in-store message,” a Big W spokesperson said.
“We recognise and respect our team and customers have varying views and perspectives.”
An acknowledgment of country is used to show respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and their ongoing connection to their land.
There has been falling support for the constitutional change in opinion polls as an increasingly fractious public and political debate takes hold.
Sign up for Guardian Australia’s free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup
Many businesses are facing pushback for supporting the yes drive, with the opposition leader, Peter Dutton, warning corporates to stay out of the campaign.
When retail companies such as Big W express a position, pushback is typically directed at customer-facing store workers.
The department chain also recently took a sex education and consent book aimed at adolescents off its shelves amid backlash from conservative campaigners. It still sells the book online.
Big W changed its acknowledgment of country early this month to coincide with Naidoc Week, adding a note of support for a voice to parliament.
The now-abandoned message said: “We remain committed to actively contributing to Australia’s reconciliation journey through listening and learning, empowering more diverse voices and working together for a better tomorrow.
“We reaffirm our support for the Uluru statement from the heart, and its calls for a First Nations voice to parliament enshrined in the constitution.”
The Uluru statement is a 2017 petition that calls for the creation of an advisory body, or voice, to represent the views of Indigenous communities to the government and parliament on relevant matters.
Woolworths supermarkets use the older acknowledgment of country with no reference to the voice.
Many of Australia’s biggest companies, including National Australia Bank and miners BHP and Rio Tinto, have publicly supported the voice, drawing criticism from some politicians and no campaigners.
The Australian Banking Association said in a statement that its position had not changed.
“The ABA and its members support a voice to parliament as called for in the Uluru statement from the heart,” the association said.
The referendum requires a majority of votes in a majority of states to succeed. If the vote is successful, parliament will then design the voice via legislation.
