Everyone’s favourite human-shaped biscuit is about to bid "adieu" to its “man” moniker with the arrival of Co-op’s new “gingerbread person”.

The supermarket is set to launch a gender-neutral version of the sweet treat and is asking its customers to help come up with a name.

It has not yet confirmed what the biscuit will look like when it is released in September.

However, the company has released a sneak peek of one of the possible designs, showing the gingerbread person wearing grey clothing, made out of icing.

From 10 April until 1 May, Co-op is running a competition on its website to give shoppers the chance to name the new addition.

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Il Timpano, a dish inspired by the notoriously tricky-to-make Italian meal, is the star of a moment in Big Night where chef brothers Primo (Tony Shalhoub) and Secondo (Stanley Tucci) prepares it as the centrepiece for a feast attended by their rival, Pascal. “Goddamit, I should kill you,” he screams, throwing his fork down after tasting Il Timpano. “This is so f***ing good, I should kill you.”

The supermarket will then put together a shortlist of its favourite suggestions before asking the public to choose a winner.

“Our Food team is adding the final touches to a new Co-op gingerbread person, but they’ve yet to come up with a name,” the Co-op website reads.

"The plan is to give our new gingerbread fellow some seasonal costume refreshes - a distinctively Christmassy look for December and something rather spooky around Halloween for example.

“So they’ll need a name that works for any time of year. We also need to ensure that the name is gender neutral too.”

The decision to create a gender-neutral version of the gingerbread man has been criticised by some on social media.

“Inclusion is a great policy, but making the Gingerbread Man gender neutral is just political correctness gone crazy,” one person wrote on Twitter.

Another added: “Can’t believe the coop is launching a ‘gender neutral gingerbread person’. Wtf is going on?”

However, a spokesperson for the Co-op says the supermarket is confident the biscuit will be a hit when it goes on sale in September.

“Inclusion and diversity lie at the heart of Co-op's values and we're looking to create a character which can be used to celebrate different occasions through the year and will appeal to all our customers,” the spokesperson said in a statement.

Co-op isn’t the first food chain to make its gingerbread man gender-neutral.

In August 2018, Pret A Manger announced it would be launching a female gingerbread treat to go alongside its existing gingerbread man.

And that the pair, named Annie and Gofrey, would be sold as gender-neutral “gingerbread biscuits”, rather than men and women.

The company said the change was made after Clive Schlee, Pret’s chief executive, received a letter from a customer asking why there were no “gingerbread girls”.

While it remains to be seen whether or not the decision to allow the public to choose the gingerbread person’s name is a wise move, past experience tells us the Co-op should be concerned.

In April 2016, the Natural Environment Research Council launched a competition to name its new polar research ship, only for people to vote overwhelmingly in favour of RRS Boaty McBoatface.

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Despite the suggestion's victory in a public poll, Science Minister Jo Johnson announced the boat would instead be called the Royal Research Ship Sir David Attenborough, after the famed broadcaster and naturalist.