Nestle apologises after tweet likens missing Mexican students to 'crunchy' chocolate bar

Nestle's Crunch Mexico twitter account poked fun at tragedy in tweet branded 'tasteless' and 'insensitive'

Nestle has apologised after an insensitive tweet likening its candy bar "Crunch" to the massacre of the 43 missing students sparked outrage in Mexico.

On Friday, Mexico's attorney general, Jesus Murillo Karam, said three gang members confessed to killing, burning and burying the bodies of 43 students who went missing on 26 September after clashing with police in Iguala, Guerrero.

On Sunday night, Crunch Mexico, a twitter account dedicated to Nestle's chocolate bar, poked fun at the tragedy, tweeting: "A los de Ayotzinapa les dieron Crunch".

The phrase plays on a slang term used when someone is beaten up and loosely translates into "Those from Ayotzinapa were crushed".

The tweet sparked calls for a boycott of Nestle products on social media and was dismissed as "insensitive" and "tasteless".

Nestle has taken the tweet down and issued an apology vowing to investigate the incident but refused to elaborate on whether the account had been hacked.

A spokesman added: "We have apologised for this completely unacceptable tweet which is entirely contrary to the values of our company.

"We deeply regret any distress it may have caused. We understand and share the public's concern about this post. We take this matter extremely seriously."

Public anger over the government's response and the handling of the investigation intensified over the weekend as protesters set ablaze the office of the Mexican president, Enrique Pena Nieto, in Mexico City's historic centre.

Parents and family members of the missing students criticised the president over the weekend as he kicked off an international tour in China and Australia and insisted they want DNA evidence, not just confessions.

Attorney general Murillo Karam also came under intense scrutiny after he wrapped up Friday's press conference in haste, telling reporters "he was tired". The gaffe went viral and has become a protest chant:" I'm tired of violence, I'm tired of impunity."

Authorities believe police and criminals gangs attacked the students under orders of then Iguala Mayor Jose Luis Abarca, who was arrested in Mexico City along with his wife, Maria de los Angeles Pineda, on 4 November.