The Range discontinues ‘sexist bodyshaming’ weight loss items after backlash

The popular homeware store was called out by an Instagram influencer

The Range has discontinued two of its weight loss products after it received complaints for them being “sexist” and “bodyshaming”.

The products, one in the shape of a bikini and the other in the shape of a wedding dress, see users slot in a coin for every pound of weight loss.

However, these were called out by Instagram user Emma Conway, who goes by @brummymummyof2 on the platform. Conway posted several pictures of herself with the items.

Captioning the images, Conway wrote: “Dear @therangeuk. I just popped into one of your shops as I love your garden stuff. And was excited to get some bits and bobs. Imagine my shock when I saw two signs. One saying ‘Countdown To My Bikini Body’ and the other stating ‘It Could Only Take 10lbs To Drop A Dress Size’.

“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. It was just for WOMEN. To get a bikini body. And to fit in a smaller wedding dress.”

Conway explained that she left the store “shaking” and “couldn’t believe” that a chain store like The Range would still be “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,” Conway continued. “The motivation is not to get fit and healthy. But to shrink themselves. Remember ladies we need to be tiny.

“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 has since been liked over 11,000 times, and Conway’s 147,000 followers were quick to comment in agreement.

Dr Sarah Vohra, who goes by @themindmedic, said: “I think you’ve hit the nail on the head with your caption Emma.

“I think the idea of naming/specifying loss may lead those who are vulnerable (I see it all too often!) to feel they have ‘not achieved said goal’ or ‘filled all the slots’ and they continue well beyond a point that is considered healthy.”

Author Alison Perry also commented and called out The Range. “This makes me SO ANGRY! @therangeuk this might seem harmless to you but it’s really not!” Perry wrote.

“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.”

The products in question were still available at the time of writing (The Range)

In a statement to the BBC, The Range acknowledged the comments and confirmed it had discontinued the products.

“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,” a spokesperson said in a statement. “This product has, however, now been discontinued and we will not be stocking it again.”

At the time of writing, both items are still available on The Range’s site. Although the bikini body has been discounted from £1.37 to 99p, and the wedding dress discounted from £2.21 to £1.98.