Sears Holdings cuts ties with Paula Deen, as fallout builds from revelations of racial slurs

NEW YORK, N.Y. – Sears Holdings Corp. is announcing it is cutting ties with Paula Deen, adding to the list of companies cutting ties following revelations that the Southern celebrity chef used racial slurs in the past.

The company, based in Hoffman Estates, Ill., says Friday that it made the decision to phase out all products tied to the brand after “careful consideration of all available information.”

Sears joins Wal-Mart Stores Inc., Target Corp. and Home Depot as retailers that plan to stop selling cookware and other items with Deen’s brand.

Last week, the Food Network said that it would not renew her contract. On Monday, pork producer Smithfield Foods dropped her as a spokeswoman.