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'We boobed' admits M&S as it axes bigger bra charge
Rosamund Urwin8 May 2009
THE leader of the campaign against Marks & Spencer's surcharge on bigger bras today told how she "banged her head against a brick wall" for months before an Evening Standard article led to the retailer ditching the charge.
Beckie Williams, 26, set up Busts 4 Justice to lobby the retailer to drop the £2 extra that bras above a DD-cup cost.
But on Tuesday, the Standard revealed it had seen a leaked internal email which showed M&S had no intention of dropping the surcharge, saying it could not afford to cut the cost because of the recession.
More than 13,500 people joined Miss Williams's campaign group on Facebook, with some threatening to boycott the store until it revised its pricing.
Today M&S backed down, saying "we boobed". Miss Williams, 26, met chairman Sir Stuart Rose today, who revealed the company's response of cutting the charge has cost £3million.
"I told him we're ecstatic about the decision," said the writer from Brighton, who has a bra size of 30F. She added: "Thanks to the Standard, our campaign was back in the spotlight and we've won our fight.
"When I found out they were scrapping the charge, I was so happy I screamed. I have felt for the last nine months that I have been banging my head against a brick wall and that Marks & Spencer haven't been taking us seriously."
Sir Stuart is understood to have ordered the change of policy personally after seeing the disastrous publicity for his chain. Becky Mount, the 19-year-old co-founder of Busts 4 Justice, said they are now considering taking the fight to Ultimo, Michelle Mone's lingerie range, which charges up to £4 more for larger cup sizes.
The Standard first revealed last July that the M&S extra charge on bigger bras had sparked a furious reaction from amply-endowed women, who dubbed it a "tit tax".
Miss Williams was so infuriated by the company's failure to listen to her complaints she bought a share in the company to confront Sir Stuart at the next annual meeting in July.
An M&S spokesman said: "We've heard what our customers are telling us that they are unhappy with the pricing on our DD-plus bras and that basically we've boobed.
"So from Saturday no matter what size you buy, the price is going to be the same. We're not going to cut the quality though - they'll still be made to the same high standards so you get the best support on the high street."
From tomorrow, the chain is also offering 25 per cent off the price of any bra in any size. The promotion will last until 25 May.
M&S initially said the extra charge was to cover the work involved in making larger bras and that customers had said they were "happy to pay a small premium" to cover the specialist work needed to ensure a suitable level of support.
Reader views (19)
Ka'babs' this is your chance to make a stand and say no to bras! Maybe you could turn your DD into a hat and keep your ears warm. Buy some of those elastic tops and they can keep you big'ins together. You might get a few more eyes from the lads in your pending spring time.
- Simon, Melbourne Australia, 11/05/2009 03:59
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Princessp, when I lose weight I go down from a (natural) 32FF to a (equally natural) 28G, i.e. cup size doesn't shrink.
And I reckon a 28G doesn't use as much material as a 38C.
- Sarah, London, 10/05/2009 22:15
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They should give a discount because, in this case, "more is better".
- Lord Larry, Wilmington, NC USA, 10/05/2009 14:44
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I used to know a bra manufacturer. He retired but liked to keep a hand in the business.
- Jb, London, 10/05/2009 14:39
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So we go back to the usual way. Slim people subsidising the overweight.
- Ann Louisa, Southampton, 10/05/2009 08:39
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So the smaller breasted women have to subsidise the bigger breasted.
What are they doing for us?
Oh, wait, NOTHNG!
- Thalia, london UK, 10/05/2009 03:35
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Babs is 100% correct, more material means more stiching means more cost. M&S should reinstate this charge and include different charges for all clothing types. Maybe if the fatties have to pay more for their clothes they will have less to stuff in their fat faces. I'm joshing you of course, or am I? Very very very few women have huge boobs and tiny bodies, generally huge boobs go with a huge belly. I have never understood why different sized clothes and shoes have the same costs, makes no sense to me that I should be subsidised by anyone else.
- John, Dundee, UK, 09/05/2009 21:54
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I have been keeping abreast of this story.
- John Bowles(Ex Pat Englishman), White Plains, New York,USA., 09/05/2009 04:35
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Women of larger cup sizes are used to paying more for their bras anyway as many high street shops only go up to a C size, so £2 isn't gonna make much of a difference...!either that or lose some weight and you might be able to fit a C cup...!
- Princessp, London, 08/05/2009 16:36
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Should probably get a human rights commission investigation going. That this was resolved without a new law or other government action is downright scary.
- Trunk, US, 08/05/2009 15:43
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Babs, drinks?!
- Fanfan La Tulipe, London, 08/05/2009 14:46
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Brilliant news! Now please explain why 'strings' are twice as expensive as other versions of 'knickers' 
- Marianne, SW France/London, 08/05/2009 13:35
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Did she ever think that bigger bra's have more material hence the extra cost? Shame Ms Williams didn't sport the bra in the photo.
- Nack Nack Paddy Mac, kilburn, London UK, 08/05/2009 13:28
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M&S missed the stronger argument though. It should have had nothing to do with the amount of material required to make a larger bra...clearly making bras for the bustier lady is an altogether different engineering excercise...bigger beams required you see...you don't expect to get a five storey building for the same price as a three-storey building, do you ladies?
That said, M&S needed to get this sorted. They were in danger of going bust otherwise.
- Escobar-Alop-Lop, Camden County, 08/05/2009 13:13
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This article needs more pictures.
- Serox, London, 08/05/2009 12:57
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I fully support this uplifting cause.
- Anthony, Esher, Surrey, 08/05/2009 12:47
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All that will happen is that the price of the smaller bras will go up to the same as the bigger ones. Great job, well done!
Did the big breasted ladies not consider that the price of the smaller bras might have been reduced to reflect the smaller amount of materials rather than the price of the bigger bras increased?
- Bruce, London, 08/05/2009 12:23
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M&S - where are your cojones! if it costs more then charge more. As a FF myself, I don't see what the problem is - only nowadays it seems anyone with a facebook page can "bully" their way to "I want - I get" - sad to see that campaigns are not created for real issues.
This is another sad indictment of where this ole country is going.
- Babs, W6, 08/05/2009 11:19
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Ladies-you should just your man to pay the difference for you-it's well worth having the attentions of DD+ woman !
Trust me- I know it is !
- Jason Stone, Stratford, Newham, 08/05/2009 11:07
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