The global fashion giant Zara is no stranger to controversy, however, 2024 has been a particularly tumultuous year for the brand. It has been hit with a series of PR disasters, ranging from widespread boycotts to accusations of insensitivity in its advertising campaigns. The latest scandal has forced the retailer to withdraw a children’s T-shirt from its stores and website after mothers on TikTok condemned the design as “sexually suggestive.” This incident has only added fuel to the fire, further tarnishing Zara’s reputation during an already challenging year.

The T-shirt in question was designed for young girls and featured the phrases “the perfect snack” and “the strawberry: a small burst of sweet joy.” On the back of the shirt, two halves of a strawberry were depicted alongside the captions “take a bite” and “a burst of sweet delight, making it the perfect summer snack.” To many, the T-shirt seems harmless, with its playful design and summery theme. However, for many vigilant parents, the language used on the garment carried troubling connotations.

@chaos.to.sanity

If you think this is wrong - please let me know so i don’t feel crazy… is this wrong? Or not? Personally, I’m disgusted - who is buying this t-shirt for their child?!! #zara #disgusted #foryou #fyp #fypviralシ #makethisviral

♬ original sound - Laura-Jayne | LJ 🪬

The online backlash began when TikTok user Laura Wilson, a mother from Bromley in Southeast London, came across the T-shirt while browsing the Zara store at Bluewater Shopping Centre in Kent on Saturday 10 August.

Shocked by what she saw, Wilson took to TikTok to share her concerns: “I’m not usually overly sensitive about clothing, but this was in the girl’s section. When I saw the back, I was shocked,” she said in her video. She continued, “The phrase ‘take a bite’ is very suggestive. I don’t think it’s okay for a six to seven-year-old to wear something like this.”

Wilson’s video quickly went viral, sparking a widespread debate on social media. Some users agreed with her assessment, deeming the T-shirt as “vile” and “inappropriate.” The term “snack,” as Wilson pointed out, is commonly used in slang to describe someone who is sexually attractive. In this context, users pointed out that phrases like “the perfect snack” and “take a bite” seemed to carry disturbing, sexual implications when placed on a garment intended for young girls. The juxtaposition of the innocent strawberry imagery with such suggestive language was what many found most troubling.

Zara pulls 'vile' children's T-shirt from sale - so what do YOU think?

The🌍has gone bonkers it’s a fucking 🍓 on a t-shirt saying take a bite how is that vile ? What sort of mind must you have to even think that is vile .Gotta be some kind of cunt really https://t.co/rCrUQXy3WD

— Mick Sulli (@SulliMick) August 17, 2024

However, not everyone shares the same perspective. Many commenters were puzzled by the outrage, questioning why a simple strawberry-themed T-shirt was causing such a stir. One user wrote: “It’s literally just a strawberry.”

“The word ‘snack’ on this T-shirt was intended to convey the traditional meaning of the word, as evidenced by the image of a strawberry on the garment,” a Zara spokesperson said. “However, we now understand that some individuals have interpreted the term differently. Therefore, we have removed the T-shirt from stores and our website and apologise for any misunderstanding or offence caused.”

Despite Zara’s efforts to mitigate the situation, this incident has only added to the brand’s woes in a year already marred by controversy. Earlier in 2024, Zara faced calls for boycotts after a series of advertisements were criticised for their insensitivity. One particular campaign sparked outrage for seemingly replicating images reminiscent of the ongoing Gaza war. The timing of these ads, coinciding with heightened tensions in the region, only fueled the backlash against the brand.

Nowadays, it takes only a second for a brand to be called out online—even for something as seemingly trivial as a strawberry T-shirt. This latest incident underscores how quickly things can spiral out of control on social media, where boycotts and backlash are just a post away. For a global brand like Zara, this serves as a crucial reminder: staying ahead of these issues is no longer optional but essential. It’s time for the fast fashion giant to be more proactive and attuned to the ever-changing online environment before a minor misstep turns into yet another major PR disaster.