In my logged out opinion Pom is no longer offensive as it is one of those words where the 'insult' is not used  in a jocular way. I know an English person who is offended, I also know many people, including myself who would not be. It is similar to the word 'Taff' for Welsh people, As a welsh person I am not offended at all. But some would be. That being said Australians and sometimes British people regularly use insults in conversation to close friends, nothing is meant by it anyway. Kind of like saying 'We are such close friends that we can use insulting words and not be offended' 

 Anyway the above is not relavent to the artical except to possibly say that there are a lot of differing opinions. so maybe the article should say that the word can sometimes be thought of as offensive, but is regularly used in a jocular manner.  

 I think that the word comes from the french word for potatoe anyway, can't be bothered explaining why.