Fashion retailer Forever 21 has been slammed after it sent out free diet bars with its clothing orders.
A number of shoppers took to Twitter to criticise the company after it included the lemon-flavoured Atkins low-carb bars with its orders. The move drew particular criticism from customers ordering plus-sized clothes.
One woman wrote: "Bought a swimsuit online from Forever 21 and they sent me an Atkins bar along with it. Thank u for reminding me that I don't have a beach ready bod."
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Another angry customer tweeted: "I went from a size 24 to 18, still a plus size girl, so I ordered jeans from Forever 21. 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?"
Forever 21 have since responded by clarifying that the bars were included in orders of 'all sizes and categories' in a statement to CNN.
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Others called the move 'disgusting' and said they were 'horrified' at the decision.
Chloe, a customer from Washington, said: "It was honestly really shocking when I opened my package and saw the bar. I thought someone had dropped their snack in by mistake!
"I feel like mixing the ongoing push of diet products with your fashion purchases can be really dangerous.
"Online shopping is tricky because you can't try anything on first, so chances are something isn't going to fit.
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"I feel like having an Atkins bar sitting next to your pile of reject clothes can trigger something very negative and even dark in people's heads."
She added: "I'm 21 now, but I've been shopping at Forever 21 since I was 13.
"I know they have a very large age range of customers. So, it's really troubling to think of a young person, excited to receive new clothes, immediately feel like their body is not small enough for the company's standards.
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"I'm not sure what other message they think they would be conveying other than one of shame.
"I've seen a lot of tweets about it being in people's orders of plus-sized items, all of my clothes ordered were in the small to medium range.
"It seems like everyone's orders are targeted."
In a statement to CNN the company said: "From time to time, Forever 21 surprises our customers with free test products from third parties in their e-commerce orders.
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"The freebie items in question were included in all online orders, across all sizes and categories, for a limited time and have since been removed. This was an oversight on our part and we sincerely apologise for any offence this may have caused to our customers, as this was not our intention in any way."
Featured Image Credit: Jam Press