Zara removes 'sexually suggestive' t-shirts after receiving backlash

Spanish fashion giant Zara recently found itself in hot waterafter a children's t-shirt sparked outrage.

The controversy erupted when a social media user shared a video of a white crew-neck t-shirt featuring black and red text.

The left side read "The Perfect Snack," while the right side proclaimed "The Strawberry: A small burst of sweet joy."

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The back of the t-shirt showed two halves of the strawberry, one showing the inside of the fruit with the other showing the outside.

The t-shirt's back read, "Take a bite. A burst of sweet delight, making it the perfect summer snack," paired with the slogan "the strawberry: a small burst of joy."

Mother of two children, Laura Wilson, who lives in London, said the t-shirt was in the girl's section of the brand's store in Bluewater Shopping Centre in Kent.

It may be noted herethat the term "snack" is used for a sexually attractive person.

The mother of two said, "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."

"I'm so shocked. 'Take a bite,' is it just me? Or is this just not OK? I would never have my girls in this T-shirt," she added.

Wilson told Daily Mail that it made her feel very uncomfortable.

"I was browsing the store when I spotted this t-shirt. The phrase ‘the perfect snack’ immediately caught my eye and alarmed me. I checked the other side and thought it was harmless enough. But when I turned the shirt around, I saw the words ‘take a bite.’ I was shocked and appalled. I couldn’t imagine dressing my child in something so suggestive. I turned to my partner, disbelief in my voice, and asked if he saw what I saw. He agreed it was awful," she said.

Many people agreed with her on TikTok and called the garment "vile."

Wilson told the outlet, "It's very suggestive. This t-shirt was for six to seven-year-old girls and I don't think this is okay. Where it says, 'the perfect snack', this is very suggestive."

Zara faced significant backlash over the t-shirt and ultimately responded by issuing an apology and removing the item from their stores and online platform.

"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 brand told 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," they added.

(With inputs from agencies)