New Look is accused of 'fat tax' by charging more for clothing above size 16

High street fashion giant New Look is being accused of imposing a ‘fat tax’ after a shopper discovered trousers in its plus-size ‘Curves’ range being sold for more than the equivalent in the standard range.

Maria Wassell – a retail supervisor from Ashford, Kent – made the discovery when she was shopping for a pair of green striped trousers.

In store, the size 18 pair of trousers were being sold for £22.99, while the identical pair in size 16 and under were being sold for £19.99.

After this, Ms Wassell said she found more inconsistencies in pricing while shopping on the brand’s website, finding a slogan t-shirt being sold for £12.99, three pounds more than the £9.99 standard size equivalent.

Wassell says she is now boycotting the high street chain and said she was “absolutely disgusted” at the difference in price.

“It’s like I’m being discriminated against for being plus size when I’m only slightly bigger than average. The average size for a British woman is now a size 16.

“Plus size purchases are on the increase. If you look at the statistics, there’s more money being spent on plus size clothing now then there was even three years ago.

“Why should we be penalised for being slightly bigger? A lot of retailers do this. Some retailers have claimed that plus size clothes need more fabric and that’s why it costs more. That’s basically rubbish.

“I used to work for a plus size brand so I do understand a lot about how it works.”

“It’s discriminating against those customers who are larger. Even the trousers in their tall range, which would also require more fabric, are the same price as the normal ones. I’m annoyed.”

Since Ms Wassell’s complaint, New Look is now in the process of reviewing their pricing.

A New Look spokesman has said: “To ensure pricing differences like these don’t happen in future, we are in the process of reviewing the pricing structure of our plus size collection in a way which works best for our customers and our business.

“We are proud of the ranges we offer to our plus size customers and value all customers, no matter what their body shape or size.”

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