Global fashion brand H&M has said it is “deeply sorry” for its advert that sparked outrage for “sexualising” young girls. The high street retailer has now pulled the advert that featured an image of two girls of primary school age in pinafore dresses with the slogan: “Make those heads turn in H&M’s Back to School fashion.”
A spokesperson for H&M said: “We have removed this ad. We are deeply sorry for the offence this has caused and will look into how we present campaigns going forward.”
Mumsnet founder and chief executive Justine Roberts had her say on the advert which was promoted on Facebook that she said showed a “sexualised culture”.
She said: “Mumsnet users have long been concerned about a sexualised culture creeping into the lives of children – which is why we launched our Let Girls Be Girls campaign in 2010. It’s disappointing to see that, 14 years later, retailers are still creating inappropriate adverts that prematurely sexualise young girls.
“While we’re pleased that H&M have accepted their mistake and removed the advert, it really should never have been created in the first place. Our users would love to be reassured that they’re taking steps to ensure everyone at H&M is crystal clear about the issue so it doesn’t happen again.”
Social media users had also expressed their concern about the ad – including on X, the social media platform previously known as Twitter.
High-profile feminist Melinda Tankard Reist also slammed the retailer, reports MailOnline. She said: “’@hm @hmaustralia what is your intention with this sponsored Facebook ad?.
“Little schoolgirls generally don’t want to ‘turn heads’. The large numbers I engage with in schools want to be left alone to learn and have fun.”
Psychologist Dr Pam Spurr also took to X to express her rage.
She said: “Your vile ad panders to paedophiles that it’s OK lusting after girls. Boycott H&M. A shameful exploitation of girls.”
In November last year online adverts for marketplace Temu were banned after a watchdog ruled they “sexualised children” and “objectified women”.
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) had banned five adverts for Temu.
They included images of a young girl wearing a bikini, a woman wearing a white halterneck dress cropped so that only her torso and arms were shown and a woman wearing a white crop top with only her chest, arms and midriff pictured.
