LONDON – British retailer Marks & Spencer admitted Friday it had ‘boobed’ in a row over larger-size bras, agreeing to cut prices for DD-plus cup versions to bring them in line with smaller models.
The climbdown, which came after more than 13 000 people signed an online protest, was welcomed by the 26-year-old woman who launched the campaign on social networking website Facebook.
‘I’m absolutely delighted on behalf of all of the women in the group,’ said Beckie Williams, who wears a 30G bra herself. ‘We have had 13 500 people join us to support us in this cause, so it’s absolutely fantastic,’ she told GMTV.
Her group, Busts 4 Justice, condemned M & S’s two-pound (2,2-euro, 3-dollar) surcharge on bras bigger than a DD cup, as ‘criminally unfair’ and urged ‘busty ladies’ to ‘join forces to end this blatant discrimination’.
Williams even bought a share worth 3.40 pounds in Marks and Spencer so she could raise her concerns at the firm’s annual general meeting in July.
Announcing its climbdown, the retailer took out full-page ads in national newspapers Friday, with the headline ‘We Boobed’ over a picture of a woman sporting a larger-sized bra.
A spokesperson said: ‘We’ve heard what our customers are telling us that they are unhappy with the pricing on our DD-plus bras and that basically we’ve boobed.
From Saturday the store’s bra prices will all be the same, regardless of size, he said, adding: ‘They’ll still be made to the same high standards so you get the best support on the high street.’
The retailer previously insisted its bras were priced fairly to include the cost of wider straps and better support, and said customers ‘have told us they are happy to pay a small premium… for the specialist work’.
-Nampa-AFP
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