They're a UK cheap clothes chain.
This isn't bad ED wise so much as discriminatory to those who're naturally a smaller size [even when not in ED mode. Even the size 12 is a huge size 12.]
It wouldn't be so bad if they actually advertised themselves as a larger size chain, but they don't.

What do you think? Do you think this is indirect discrimination?

NB In the area I live there are lots of Indian people, many of whom are 'smaller sized' naturally by genetics also.

Good point!
I think discrimination, towards larger and smaller ladies is both, very wrong.

I believe, don't quote me on this, that bon marche is aimed at an older age range, where people naturally gain weight pre and post menopause. So might have directed their clothes sizes that way because of that...

But it seems wrong to discriminate and not sell to smaller women yes. I'd like to see their rationale on that to be honest !

Ah yes, I didn't realise that.
But I'm peri-menopausal and, well, yeah. OOps.

Well its the only thing I could think of why bon marche would do it !
I bought a lovely skirt in there once, brown suede!

So they're the opposite of the (vast majority of) retailers who only feature the smallest sizes in their advertisements but then carry a full range of sizes? Huh.

In all seriousness, maybe they don't want to brand themselves as a "plus-size" store because of the stigma. Some of the smaller stores I've been into carry a full range of sizes, but everything smaller than an 8 is sold out by the time I get there because they only order one or two of the item in the smaller size.

Hrmmm, I understand that most clothing stores can't stock EVERY size (from petite to plus size). Larger department stores tend to be able to do this, but most clothing places have a rather restricted retail floor space to work with. So even though a store doesn't say -14, I go ahead and assume that they won't have anything +14. I wish stores would have signs saying everything is made for people 5'7" and shorter!

Anyways. No, they don't have to label themselves as a plus size store any more than non-plus size stores should have to label themselves as being so. The point of labeling the sizes your store sells (the only labels I've ever seen are "petite" and "14+" is to draw in a certain demographic. If this specific chain is doing okay without having to advertise they carry larger sizes, then whatever.

To be honest, in the UK, there's not many shops that advertise as "plus size" any more- they usually go for "we stock sizes whatever to whatever"


Bon Marche is a shop aimed at women that are slightly older than those that, say, New Look are aiming for. I know that they don't stock smaller sizes, and they don't advertise that they only stock certain sizes, but they're not obliged to. Most shops use the sizes they stock as a selling point, but they don't actually have to list the sizes they stock.

I understand where people are coming from, but I'll be honest- when I was seventeen and a certain size, nowhere stocked that size. Oh, I tell a lie, there was one shop in about fifteen miles from me that stocked that size.

Most shops sell that size now, and although it no longer applies to me, I think it's good that those to whom it does apply can shop with ease.

Thing is though, not every shop is obliged to stock every size. I went shopping the other day, in Manchester, and I found a shop where there was very slim pickings for my size- and I'm slap bang in the middle, average size...I guess that's why there was nothing left when I went.

Also, I reckon that a lot of shops decide on their sizing by consumer feedback and surveys- if a shop gets the feedback that the people who are the most interested in their clothing fall into a certain size range, they save money by only making the sizes that the feedback suggested they would get the most return on...

It used to be so hard for me to buy clothes when I was a smaller size. The worst ever was trying to find tiny Chef's uniforms. (My husband and I owned a cafe and I was the chef.) Anywhere that did stock them sold out quickly because of all the tiny Chinese folk living here and working in Zchinese restaurants.

You see the whole term "plus size" irks me....what does it mean? Plus what? It basically reads(As far as I can see)"plus the acceptable size"...the whole plus suggests to me its implying its more than what is ok or somethign like that....Why do shops have to say what they are, why not just say we sell clothes and maybe say they sell the larger sizes or the petites for the shorter folk etc as opposed to sayin they sell plus sizes?

Re Bon Marche, why would they advertise as a "plus size" shop just cos they dont sell below size 12. Size 12 is 2 sizes below the UK average!!

No sizes in any shop are the same...and thats a fact! M&S purposely make their sizes bigger, so that women will be able to wear a garment with a smaller number sown onto it, which means they will likely shop there more. Remember sizes are all arbitrary, and are shop specific. The fit and shape of clothes varies from shop to shop too...I mean Zaras, clothes are made(im fairly sure) for very straight up and down women, without hips or an ass, and who have legs that are lik 36 inches long!!!

In a word, I have learnt the hard way that there really is no point in fixating on sizes and numbers in shops as they really mean nothing..there is no universal 8, 10, 12 etc, there is just arbitrary ways of putting a measure on clothes sizes.

xx

Thing is, all my life I've had people make fun of me for being smaller and thinner than average [even when not in ED episode, as I am naturally petite due to both genetics and being born very premature]. My peers bullied me for it all through school. Pupils ridiculed me for it when I was a teacher. 'Skinny bitch' is the latest from random strangers.
It just slams it all more when I see a top I like and can't buy it because it's too damn huge and the shop isn't welcoming of people my build!
Yes, some shops sell smaller sizes [Top Shop for example], but they're mostly too expensive. Thank God for Primark! H&M are ok too. But there aren't enough Petite ranges in cheaper shops - I'm fed up of trousers and skirts being too long, and forget maxi dresses! And that's even before we start on waist sizes, or sleeveless tops gaping to show the bra!

Online shops are fab for petite ranges