Retailer The Range has pulled a number of items off the shelf because they are sexist and bodyshaming following complaints. The bargain brand will no longer sell the items designed to encourage women lose weight for events such as a holiday or wedding.
The Range has discontinued wall plaques which include slots to save £1 for every pound of weight lost - up to 40lb (18kg) on the bridal version. Shopper Emma Conway saw the items and asked if there were any for men. There were not, reports the BBC.
There have previously been complaints about the items, which The Range describes as 'fun and unique' in 2021 and 2019.
Emma said: "I left the shop shaking. In 2022 a large chain is feeding into the narrative that women need to be smaller, to drop a dress size."
The retailer told the BBC it would not be stocking either product again.
Ms Conway, a digital creator, told her Instagram followers: "I asked if there was one for men. Maybe a 'Lose Chunks To Fit In Your Trunks.' There wasn't," she posted.
"It was just for women. To get a bikini body. And to fit in a smaller wedding dress...To put a sign in their houses which they would look at each day," she said.
"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."
She added: "Anyone reading this, remember how to get a bikini body is to…buy a bikini. And put it on your body."
The Range 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."
Author Alison Perry replied to the post and wrote: "This makes me so angry! The Range this might seem harmless to you but it's really not!" she added.
"You're perpetuating the belief that women have to fit into a narrow beauty ideal to be acceptable. It's dangerous.
"Walking past this in one of your shops could trigger someone and set them off down a path of dieting or disordered eating. Not ok."
Instagram user pushingapianoupahilloftreacle wrote: "I saw these the other day I could not believe it! Utterly amazed that they are allowed to sell this trash! I will be happily wearing my lovely size 18 bikinis this year with pride!"
Others supported weight-loss plaques if they are neutral and not linked to events.
Last year The Independent reported that eating disorder charities said the items "glamorised weight loss".
Three years ago The Sun reported that they "made women feel unworthy".
Tom Quinn, director of external affairs at Beat, said: "We know that idealising thinness can be very damaging for people with or vulnerable to eating disorders, as it can encourage or serve as 'inspiration' for harmful eating disorder behaviours.
"Whilst pressure to reach body ideals like the 'bikini body' are unlikely to be the sole cause of an eating disorder, it can be extremely unhelpful to people in recovery.
"Pressure to reach 'goal weights' can also cause distress and shame around body image, or even lead to an eating disorder developing."
The product has now been discontinued by The Range.
The retailer have said in a statement they had not 'set out to offend customers' and would not be bringing back the product.
