Fat tax, sounds like something you’d have on a sugary drink or something that’s not healthy for you.
However, this was peoples take on the new pricing structure at struggling retail giant, New Look
New Look have inflated the prices on some of their plus-size clothing and left the regular sizes at a lower price.
Fat tax or economics?
The prices haven’t just changed in store they have also been changed online.
A typical example would be a pair of plus size trousers now cost £22.99, compared to the more regular/petite range at £19.99
The outrage caused a social media storm with people using the hashtag #fitequality
This is not ok, #fitequality https://t.co/uX3p0hkedY
— Luxor+Finch (@luxorandfinch) May 14, 2018
Some agreed
Although a lot of people were outraged by the notion of paying more for larger clothing.
Some people agreed, commenting that it was a simple case of economics rather than a ‘fat tax’.
The average size in 2018 for a typical British woman is now a size 16.
However rather than apologising to its customers, New Look said
Some products appear similar but may be slightly different.
What do you think?
In a recent poll put on by Sky News, 51% of people thought that it was fair to charge more for plus size clothing.
Chairman of the National Obesity Forum, Tam Fry, said
that it was entirely reasonable for dressmakers to charge more for larger sizes.
He went on to say
If a woman is paying more for her clothes, she is a size 18 or over, then she will think seriously about staying in shape and that can only be a good thing.
New Look in a statement said:
We are in the process of reviewing the pricing structure of our Plus Size collection in a way which works best for our customers and our business.
What do you think? Â Is this a ‘fat tax’, or is it just a case of simple economics?
Let us know in the comments below.