Fashion Brand Faces Backlash For Sending Diet Bars With Order

American fashion brand Forever21 has apologised for sending diet bars to customers with their orders. The brand faced massive backlash on social media for sending the Atkins bars with online orders, including plus-size orders. Atkins markets the bars as low-carb snacks for weight loss, reports CNN.

On social media, many criticised the addition of diet bars to their orders as fat-phobic and fat-shaming.

"Bought a swimsuit online from forever 21 and they sent me an atkins bar along with it," wrote one Twitter user. "Thank you for reminding me that I don't have a beach ready bod."

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

my mom ordered some clothes from @Forever21 ‘s plus size collection and they sent a Atkins diet bar along with the stuff she ordered???? pic.twitter.com/Lxi6XnuOB1

— jesse (@jessemarisaelao) July 19, 2019

Many asked if the brand only sent diet bars with plus-size orders - something Forever 21 denied.

According to CNN, the brand said in a statement that it sent out free diet bar samples with all orders and sizes.

"From time to time, Forever 21 surprises our customers with free test products from third parties in their e-commerce orders," the company said. "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 offense this may have caused to our customers, as this was not our intention in any way."

Social media users confirmed that diet bars were sent with all orders, but pointed out that doing that also sent a dangerous message.

Apparently @Forever21 sends out Atkins bars with all of its orders, which sends a wildly dangerous message to ALL of its customers. Not only is it fatshaming, it could also trigger people of all sizes who have EDs. This is as dangerous as it is inappropriate. https://t.co/gPfr3jMUK4

— Samantha Puc ????✨ (@theverbalthing) July 23, 2019

The promotion has now been stopped.