Zara Apologizes, Removes “Perfect Snack” Children’s T-Shirts From Stores After Parents Say

Top clothing brand Zara was embroiled in a controversy after its recently released collection of children’s t-shirts caused a furore due to its captions, which parents and netizens deemed inappropriate.

Some parents said that the writing was “sexually suggestive”. A customer in England’s Kent was the first to share photos and videos of the clothes online, arguing that the new collection of the t-shirts contains inappropriate messages.

The woman, a mother, also said that the new collection was put on sale in the girl’s section of the Zara store in Kent.

The t-shirt contained texts like “The Perfect Snack” and “The Strawberry: A small burst of sweet joy” on the front. On the back, the t-shirt had images of two halves of a strawberry with additional text reading, “Take a bite. A burst of sweet delight, making it the perfect summer snack” and “The strawberry: a small burst of joy.”

“I am not one to be overly sensitive about clothing, and this was in the girl’s section. Just wait till you see what’s on the back. If you have bought this for your child, you need serious words with yourself, in my opinion,” Laura Wilson, a 32-year-old mother of two, said, in a video posted on Instagram.

“I was taken aback. (The texts are) suggestive,” Wilson was quoted as saying by the Daily Mail.

The top global clothing brand faced a backlash on social media as reports about the clothing and the text on the clothing went viral. Zara later issued an apology.

“There was no intention for the use of the word ‘snack’ on this T-shirt to imply anything other than the traditional meaning of the word, as evidenced by the image of a strawberry on the garment. However, we now understand that some individuals have interpreted the term differently,” the company said per the New York Post.

“Therefore, we have removed the T-shirt from stores and our website. And we apologise for any misunderstanding or offence caused,” it added.