British clothes retailer Primark has stopped selling padded bikini tops for children after criticism that they sexualised young girls, a spokesman for the chain said today.
Primark has been forced to withdraw the tops - which were aimed at the pre-teen market - from the shelves of its UK stores after children’s rights groups condemned their sale.
The company, which trades in the Republic of Ireland under the Penney’s name, apologised for any offence caused by the product and said all the profits from the bikinis already sold would be given to a children’s charity.
“Primark has taken note of the concern regarding the sale of certain bikini tops for girls, a product line that sells in relatively small quantities," a spokesman said. “The company has stopped the sale of this product line with immediate effect.”
This morning, the British-based Phoenix Chief Advocates, which helps victims of paedophiles, called for a boycott of Primark until the bikini top was withdrawn. “As victims’ advocates, we know why you should never sexualise children or help to normalise the sexualisation of children,” a spokeswoman said.
“They may be learning how to look sexy in an adult way, but no-one is teaching them what to do if they receive robust unwelcome adult attention. We say boycott Primark until they agree to withdraw this line.”
Primark has 138 UK stores and 38 in Ireland. A spokeswoman for Penney's told The Irish Times
the product line has never been sold in the Republic of Ireland nor were there any plans to sell it here, but Irish child protection groups also condemned the practice of selling unsuitable clothes.
Lloyd Byrne, the Childline manager with the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, said such products were totally unsuitable for children. “Were Primark trying to create a market or respond to one? It seems clear that they were trying to create one. Primark is paying people money to come up with these ideas, and while they have now responded appropriately by withdrawing this product, the retailer needs to question how it got on to its shelves in the first place.”
He pointed out that had the padded bikini been popular in the UK, then “the next logical step would have been to introduce it in the Republic”.
Norah Gibbons, Barnardos' director of advocacy and central services, said Primark was correct to withdraw the product line but castigated the retailer for its decision to sell it in the first place.
She described the early sexualisation of children as a significant problem and one that could be exacerbated by the sale of product lines such at the padded bikini. “We don’t need retailers selling adult clothes to children. It is adding to the early sexualisation of children and denying them the right just to be children. Children need to protected in that space,” she said.
It is not the first time a major retailer has been embroiled in controversy over the sale of inappropriate products to young children. Asda faced fierce criticism for selling lace lingerie, including push-up bras, to pre-teens, and Tesco was forced to withdraw a pole-dancing kit which it was selling in the toy departments of its British stores following widespread condemnation in 2006.
WHSmith announced last year that it was withdrawing Playboy stationery, including a pencil case, but refused to say if the decision was due to criticism about the brand being sold to schoolchildren.
Additional reporting: PA
