M&S admits to big bloomer by changing design of perfect pants
Retailer is forced to backtrack after customers revolt at seams being moved from front to side
THEY may lack sex appeal but what they lack in glamour they certainly make up for in comfort, value and quality.
Marks & Spencer’s formula for making the perfect pants has led swathes of women to buy nothing else for decades, but now the retailer has caused consternation by changing its design.
In a bid to improve the fit of the garments, the retail giant made a number of design alterations to its bestselling five-pack of ladies’ cotton briefs.
But in an apparent admission that the move was a big bloomer, M&S has now backtracked on the redesign and will restore its original beloved briefs.
M&S dominates the UK’S underwear market with more than one in four women buying from the store. The controversial changes included moving the seam from the front to the side, removing the flat seams on the front panel, and replacing them with more typical raised ones on the sides.
Shoppers also claimed the overall size of the pants was increased, but the material over the hip was made smaller, making them less comfortable.
The photograph on M&S’S website initially remained the same – as did the product code for the pants – prompting shoppers to unknowingly buy the altered design.
The affected briefs are the “M&S Collection 5 Pack Supima Cotton” & “Modal No VPL” pants, which come in a “full brief ” and “high leg” design and cost £12 in black, or white and nude.
Shoppers, who have bought the pants for years, posted angry reviews. One said: “They were perfect fit before and so comfortable! Please could M&S go back to the seam at the front! I think it would make some happy customers as quite a few of us are rather disappointed with the new version.”
Another said: “The old version with the front seams was very comfortable, however this version now has seams at the side which make the fit much worse.
“Bought several packs as I expected them to be like the old ones and I will be returning all unopened packs.
“I agree with many other reviewers, please go back to the old front seam version, they are were great.”
An M&S spokesman said: “Our loyal customers are very important to us. We looked into this and decided to change the knickers back to the original style lines following valuable feedback.”