A shop owner in Vancouver, Canada, has had to remove a pair of signs from his store after a shopper claimed they were offensive.
Sharon Arnold visited Lulu Island Designs in Steveston earlier this month and was horrified when she saw a handwritten sign above XL and XXL clothing that read, “Whale.”
Outraged by the shop owner’s apparent insensitivity, Arnold posted a picture of the offending sign on Facebook. The majority of users offered their support to Arnold, while many claimed the sign was unacceptable, calling on the authorities to provide more rights for larger folk. One or two people called for calm, suggesting that the shop owner had probably not intended to cause such a stir.
Speaking to The Vancouver Sun, the proprietor of Lulu Island Designs said the ‘Whale’ section sign had been around for years, but following the complaint he removed it. The shop owner also took down the “Shrimp” sign that had been hanging above the petite clothing range.
Arnold commented: “I found it offensive. And I’m not the only one.”
Here at The Sussex Sign Company, we recognise that shop owners have to be very careful when deviating from the standard copy used on signs. “Shrimp” and “Whale” may not be the most sensible descriptors of female clothing sizes.