Fast-fashion conglomerate Forever 21 has come under fire after sending their plus-sized customers sample Atkins weight loss bars with their orders. This deeply problematic, unsolicited weight loss dig feels like it came directly from a brainstorming session with Regina George.
Atkins products are entrenched in the world of low-carb dieting snacks, the company advertise their products as a way to “stick with your low carb diet.” The bars sent along with Forever 21 packages are marketed as a way to “treat yourself without worrying about your carb count.” Which defeats the point of treating yourself anyway, you watered down Don Draper dipshits.
Hey @forever21 do you include weightloss Atkin bars in all your shipments or just in the ones for ladies over 1X ?? pic.twitter.com/ldajPJ81NM
— Kатя 🇺🇦✨ (@wisekatya) July 22, 2019
I went from a size 24 to 18, still a plus size girl, so I ordered jeans from @Forever21 Opened the package, when I looked inside I see this Atkins bar. What are you trying to Tell me Forever 21, I’m FAT, LOSE WEIGHT? do you give these to NON-PLUS SIZE WOMEN as well? pic.twitter.com/ds8kUTs7T7
— MissGG🏳️🌈♿️♒️☯️☮️💟 (@MissGirlGames) July 19, 2019
A trawl through social media has revealed that Forever 21 sent the complimentary bars to customers across the size spectrum — but it is still a deeply dangerous brand partnership. What may seem an innocuous freebie, could act as a detrimental trigger to a consumer with pre-existing body image issues. A diet-fad supplement is not something that should be casually marketed to a consumer-base of predominantly young women.
Forever 21 is sending diet bars with clothes you order and that’s so insensitive holy crap like…. how about we don’t make someone negatively reflect on their body image when trying to just order some new outfits ? ????
— Taylor Nicole Dean (@taylorndean) July 23, 2019
This isn’t the only insensitive, body-shaming cock up that’s hit the news. American department store chain Macy’s recently came under fire after they released a collection of plates with imagery promoting strict portion control.
The plates, the product of brand Pourtions, were being sold at Macy’s concept shop Story. The plates feature a design of three different circles that allude to portion size, reading “mom jeans,” “favorite jeans,” and “skinny jeans.”
A “mini-festo” on the website shares a disturbing look into the thought process behind the branding: “Walk down any street today and one thing becomes immediately clear: we have really let ourselves go. Waistlines are exploding like the national debt. Arteries are jammed like Grand Central Station at rush hour. And there are plenty of helpings of blame to go around — fast food, slow metabolism, excessive elbow-bending.”
The brand claims that their mission statement is to “help you take back the power and counter this unhealthy trend” in a “funny, engaging, un-sciency way.” We can absolutely assure you that there is nothing funny or engaging about this nasty product, however, we’ll let you have “un-sciency” you despicably quirky cretins.
