The clothing store Forever 21 received an outpouring of hate on social media this week after many Twitter users spoke out after finding Atkins diet bar samples in their online order packages.
I went from a size 24 to 18, still a plus size girl, so I ordered jeans from Opened the package, when I looked inside I see this Atkins bar. What are you trying to Tell me Forever 21, I鈥檓 FAT, LOSE WEIGHT? do you give these to NON-PLUS SIZE WOMEN as well?
鈥� MissGG馃彸锔忊�嶐煂� (@MissGirlGames)
Forever 21 really put a fucking diet bar in with my plus size clothing order...I fucking can鈥檛. 馃槨
鈥� 鉁煉朘at Ravioli馃挅鉁� (@PinkMaggitKat)
Many of the tweets included photos of the unsolicited lemon flavoured bar. It鈥檚 packaging boasted that it contained one gram of sugar and that it the bar suits a 鈥渓ow carb lifestyle.鈥�
Initially the clothing brand was accused of targeting their customers who鈥檇 ordered from the brand鈥檚 plus-sized collection.
One person who received the diet bar said they鈥檇 ordered new jeans from the plus-size collection as they鈥檇 gone down from a size 24 to an 18. They were shocked to have received the diet bar with their order.
鈥淲hat are you trying to Tell me Forever 21?鈥� @MissGirlGames asked in their tweet. 鈥淒o you give these to non-plus size women as well?鈥�
i just bought a bunch of xs/s clothes and got one too, i don't think its anything personal..
鈥� kec 馃 (@stxrkid)
Not everyone found an issue with the diet bar samples. Some came to the clothing company鈥檚 defence and pointed out that they鈥檇 received the diet bar with their online orders from Forever 21鈥檚 other collections too.
One Twitter user, @TheNailasaurus, to @PinkMiggitKat鈥檚 angry tweet and said that while they don鈥檛 agree with the company soliciting diet bars, they don鈥檛 think the outrage was warranted.
鈥淥bviously this brand has paid for this legit form of marketing for their product to go in every F21 order. It has zero to do with what size clothes you ordered,鈥� said @TheNailasaurus.
@PinkMiggitKat saying that no matter the intention, the bars shouldn鈥檛 have been sent with clothing as it could have a negative effect on people with eating disorders.
Others agreed that the diet bars could have a harmful effect on those who received them.
鈥淸It鈥檚] completely catching customers off guard with [a] distasteful implied message to lose weight,鈥� wrote @bronze_bombSHEL in a tweet.
If this is indeed a brand partnership between you + Atkins I鈥檇 strongly suggest you reevaluate it Not only is it coming off as discriminatory but it isn鈥檛 even rolled out well - Its completely catching customers off guard with distasteful implied message to lose weight
鈥� Shelby Ivey Christie (@bronze_bombSHEL)
What the hell, ?? Not only is this incredibly fatphobic, but sending diet bars unsolicited is down right harmful to the customers & could negatively impact anyone with a ED. This is beyond disgusting. Stop forcing diet culture down peoples throats.
鈥� Destiny 鈽曪笍鉁嶐煆� (@thefatauthor)
Forever 21 issued a statement later in the week saying that the bars were indeed sent with all orders, not just those form the plus-size collection. The company occasionally sends 鈥渇ree test products鈥� from third party companies to their customers, they wrote in the statement.
Twitter user @bitchenboutique that the company saying the bars were sent to everyone doesn鈥檛 regulate the situation because they feel it sounds like the company is saying everyone needs to lose weight.
The company鈥檚 statement went on to say the bars won鈥檛 be sent out anymore and that sending them was an 鈥渙versight.鈥�
鈥淲e sincerely apologize for any offence this may have caused,鈥� they wrote.
devon.bidal@saanichnews.com
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