High-street retailer The Range has been forced to pull a couple of weight-loss counters following backlash from shoppers who have branded them as "dangerous".
The popular store removed the items - a bikini body and wedding dress weight loss counter - from their shelves after they were slammed online for body-shaming women.
The controversial items in question have since been discontinued following the outrage from customers, reports The Mirror. Shoppers who purchased them were encouraged to place a £1 coin for every pound of weight they lost.
Shopper Emma Conway took to social media to rant after she "left the shop shaken" after spotting the items in her local store. She said the items promoted an unhealthy attitude towards weight loss for women.
"In 2022. A large chain. Is feeding into the narrative that WOMEN need to be smaller. To drop a dress size. To put a sign in their houses which they would look at each day. To help them get ready to go to the beach.
“The motivation is not to get fit and healthy. But to shrink themselves. Remember ladies we need to be tiny.
“Now I understand people want to lose weight for a variety of reasons. Not an issue. But I asked if there was one for men. Maybe a ‘Lose Chunk To Fit In Your Trunks’. There wasn’t.
“I know some people may not see a problem. And The Range obviously doesn’t. But anyone reading this remember how to get a bikini body is to…buy a bikini.
“And put it on your body.”
The post sparked fury among her followers who slammed the retailer of fat shaming women.
One said: “This makes me SO ANGRY!
“The Range this might seem harmless to you but it’s really not! You’re perpetuating the belief that women have to fit into a narrow beauty ideal to be acceptable.
“It’s dangerous.”
Another responded she was unhappy with the brand but admitted using one was helpful in the run up to her wedding.
She said: “Yes diet culture is awful... but I personally loved having one of these up to my wedding and love a visual symbol and the saving money was fab.”
In response to the negative feedback the brand pulled the item from the shelf, adding it had not “wanted to offend customers.” The Range declined to comment when approached by the Mirror.
The company earlier told the BBC in a statement: “We appreciate that every 'body' is 'bikini ready' all the time, but some of our customers have found this a fun way to help them reach a goal.
“This product has, however, now been discontinued and we will not be stocking it again."
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