Macy’s Inc. (NYSE:M) has found itself in the middle of controversy regarding its set of dinner plates that measure serving portions after social media backlash claiming that they promote eating disorders and body shaming. The company has since apologized publicly vowed to remove the dinner plates from all its outlets.
Controversial plates promoting body shaming and eating disorders
The controversial dinner plates that are the centre of the discussion have three circles where each denotes a portion size. From the smallest, medium and largest the circles have been labelled “skinny jeans,” “favourite jeans” and “mom jeans” respectively.
On Sunday after seeing the plates on display on a storefront in New York, CBS’s Allie Ward took to twitter asking how he could get the plates banned across all states. Social media users have disapproved the ‘toxic message that the plates were passing which is of dangerous eating practices and promotion of higher beauty standards in women.’ Ward indicated later that the use of the word ‘banned’ was overstated but the logic of using women to make money by making some feel bad is flawed and harmful.
Macy’s accepts criticism and takes dinner plates off their stores
Following the criticism on Monday morning Macy’s responded on twitter indicating that the chain store appreciates the feedback and they accepted of having missed a park on the product. The store then promised that it will be removing the plates from all its outlets across the country.
In a statement, Pourtions which manufactures the plates stated that the message on the plates was a light-hearted take regarding the more important topic of portion control. However there were other twitter users who were okay with the humour on the plates with one indicating that it is okay that one was not contented with the plates but they didn’t have a right to determine what over 300 million can get.
In an email Twitter’s Retail Partnerships Director, Amanda Farrell stated that conversation was one of the greatest gift that they have offered consumers because they can now turn to twitter and make their voice be heard.
