Asos has issued an apology after a dress on its website was photographed with two bulldog clips visibly holding the garment in place. The clips, used to adjust the fit and shape of the dress, were spotted by a sharp-eyed shopper, prompting a wave of ridicule on social media.
One Twitter user joked: 'Ok, but are the clips included with the dress? It's a bold look.' Asos responded within ten minutes, and by the afternoon the clips had been digitally removed from the product image. However, the incident has reignited concerns about misleading sizing practices among online retailers.
Some shoppers argue that such editing contributes to the need for frequent returns, a practice Asos recently threatened to crack down on. At the start of the month, the retailer warned it might deactivate accounts of suspected serial returners. Critics now call this hypocritical, claiming inaccurate sizing is a key reason for high return rates.
Asos, which stocks over 850 brands and ships worldwide, warned last year that profit growth was slowing. The company has not commented further on the clip controversy beyond its initial apology.
