Swatch has apologised and withdrawn an advert showing a model pulling the corners of his eyes, after the image sparked accusations of racism and boycott calls on Chinese social media.

The “slanted eye” gesture made by the Asian male model drew heavy criticism from internet users, who condemned it as racist.

In statements posted on Instagram and China’s Weibo on Saturday, Swatch addressed “recent concerns regarding the portrayal of a model” in the advert and confirmed it had removed the campaign globally.

“We sincerely apologise for any distress or misunderstanding this may have caused,” the company wrote.

Despite the apology, many online users remained unsatisfied and continued to call for a boycott of Swatch Group brands, including Blancpain, Longines, and Tissot.

A Weibo user with over 1 million followers accused Swatch of “racism against Chinese” and called for regulatory punishment.

Others alleged deliberate discrimination and urged consumers to boycott the brand.

“The brand’s image has collapsed. (Swatch) thinks they can just apologise and salvage everything? It’s not that simple,” another user wrote.

China, one of Swatch Group’s largest markets, has posed challenges for the company and other Western luxury brands, as economic slowdown and a shift toward more affordable products have slowed growth.