Marks & Spencer has reversed a ban on the use of tape measures for bra fittings, a policy change that follows a controversy involving transgender staff assisting female shoppers. The initial ban, implemented in May, required customers to rely on visual assessments or try on multiple sizes, leading to complaints from both shoppers and employees about the time-consuming process.
The company has now stated that customers will have the option to use a tape measure if they prefer. "As the UK's lingerie market leader, we continuously improve our service," an M&S spokesperson said. "We have an expert team of trained bra fitters, and they can use a tape measure if they or the customer prefers this. We have recently communicated this to our colleagues to make this clearer."
The decision to ban tape measures was widely perceived as a response to public comments made by author J.K. Rowling. In August of the previous year, Rowling called for a boycott of the store after a shopper reported that a transgender employee had offered to measure her 14-year-old daughter for a bra fitting in the changing room area. Rowling publicly stated on social media that it was inappropriate for the store to "prioritize the wishes of men" in such situations, especially in light of rulings concerning changing room access based on biological sex.
M&S had previously apologized to the customer who raised the complaint, explaining that the employee had intended to offer general assistance, not a bra fitting. The company has maintained that the subsequent ban on tape measures was not directly related to this incident.
One employee described the lifting of the ban as a "victory for common sense." The U-turn by Marks & Spencer is seen as being linked to the broader ongoing debate surrounding transgender rights and access to single-sex spaces.