Marks & Spencer’s ‘inclusive’ changing room row
Marks & Spencer’s ‘inclusive’ changing room policy has sparked a heated online campaign calling for a boycott of the high street giant amid accusations it does not value its female customers.
t comes after the retailer put a response out on Twitter regarding a user demanding a female-only changing room.
The M&S team said: “While they are mainly used by customers of that gender, as an inclusive retailer and in line with most other retailers, we allow customers the choice of fitting room.”
— M&S (@marksandspencer) August 23, 2022
The changing room approach, where shoppers can choose which one to use, has been in place for over three years.
However, the fresh tweet had ignited a backlash from both sides of the debate, with some calling for greater safety and protection for women, and others pushing for a more inclusionary approach.
On the former position, the hashtag #boycottMarksandSpencer was still trending on the social media early this morning.
One Twitter user said: “M&S, my mum is 80, disabled and a lifelong loyal customer of yours – does she not deserve the right to privacy and decency in your changing rooms?
“We know men are already abusing these facilities. Have a separate neutral space instead please.”
Another said: “Before I’d even read what #boycottMarksandSpencer was about I knew it would involve men in women’s changing rooms. I’m a woman and I’ll not be told by a business that it’s ok for a man to be near me while getting changed.”
However, others have taken to Twitter to praise M&S’s fresh policy.
One tweeted: “Thank you for not bowing to far right, transphobic pressure @marksandspencer!”
Following the backlash, an M&S spokesperson said in a statement : “Our fitting rooms consist of individual lockable cubicles.
They are located within our womenswear and menswear departments and therefore are mainly used by customers of that gender, however as an inclusive retailer and in line with most other retailers we allow customers their choice of fitting room, with our colleague’s exercising discretion and common sense.”
