Zara has withdrawn a children’s t-shirt from sale after a mother criticised it for being sexually suggestive, although some argue she is reading too much into a simple image of a strawberry.
Laura Wilson noticed the £10.99 t-shirt, which features a strawberry along with the phrase “the perfect snack,” while shopping in the children’s section at Bluewater Shopping Centre in Kent on Saturday, August 10th. The mother of two then turned the shirt around and saw the words “take a bite” printed on the back. The 32-year-old pointed out that the term “snack” is often used to describe someone who is attractive, and she felt uncomfortable seeing this on a children’s t-shirt.
She argued that the wording on the garment was “inappropriate” for kids due to its colloquial connotations, and her partner, who was shopping with her, agreed.
As a full-time content creator, Laura mentioned that she would never allow her two children to wear the shirt and would be concerned if other parents dressed their kids in it.
After posting a video about the t-shirt on TikTok, viewers quickly debated whether the top was indeed “suggestive” or not. Zara stated they had “no intention” of implying anything inappropriate with the wording on the strawberry-themed design but apologised for any “offence caused.” The company confirmed that the item has since been removed from both stores and their website.
Laura, who is from Bromley in South East London, explained: “I was browsing and saw this t-shirt with ‘the perfect snack’ written on it, and it immediately struck me. I turned the shirt around and was shocked to see ‘take a bite’ on the back.
“I would never let my children wear something like that. I thought it was suggestive. I asked my partner if I was reading it right, and he agreed it was awful.
“I did wonder if I was being overprotective or if it was just plain wrong. I posted the TikTok video to get other people’s opinions, and it’s clear that many others feel the same way in this situation.” She added, “This t-shirt was intended for a six or seven-year-old, and I don’t think that’s appropriate. The phrase ‘the perfect snack’ can be quite suggestive of attraction, at least that’s how I interpreted it.
“Some people are saying it’s just about strawberries, but with the language on the shirt, I would never want my daughter wearing something that says ‘take a bite’ on the back.
“Most people agree that the t-shirt is suggestive, inappropriate, and unsuitable for a child.
“I didn’t initially reach out to Zara because I thought I might be overthinking it, or maybe I was being too overprotective. However, this particular item made me feel really uncomfortable. If other parents were buying this for their kids, I’d be quite concerned. It just made me feel extremely uneasy.”
Laura admitted that she initially questioned whether she was being too “overprotective,” but after sharing the video on TikTok, many users quickly labeled the t-shirt as “vile.”
Her video has since garnered over 22,000 views and more than 140 comments. While some users agreed with Laura that the language on the shirt was “inappropriate,” others felt she was overreacting.
One user commented: “Absolutely not [overthinking it]! How this got through product development is beyond me!” Another added: “What the actual f**k. I am shaken to my core. Zara, do better—this is vile.”
A third user said: “I don’t understand what is wrong?” To which Laura responded: “Are you a parent of little girls? I’d never let my children walk around with ‘the perfect snack’ and ‘take a bite’ on their t-shirt.”
Another user simply stated: “It’s literally just a strawberry,” to which Laura replied: “‘The perfect snack’ and ‘take a bite’… It’s not just a strawberry. It’s extremely suggestive for a child to wear.”
Laura mentioned that this was her first time shopping at Zara, and following this incident, she has decided not to return.
A Zara spokesperson clarified: “The use of the word ‘snack’ on this t-shirt was never intended to imply anything beyond its traditional meaning, as shown by the image of a strawberry on the garment.
“However, we now understand that some individuals have interpreted the term differently. As a result, we have removed the t-shirt from our stores and website, and we apologize for any misunderstanding or offence caused.”
