Marks and Spencer drop ban on tape measures for bra fittings after row over transgender staff helping female shoppers

Published: 15:07, 1 August 2026 | Updated: 15:09, 1 August 2026 Marks & Spencer has dropped a controversial ban on tape measures for bra fittings which was introduced following a row about transgender staff assisting female customers. The subsequent ban on tape measurements meant shoppers had to rely on measurements by eye as well as then trying on different sizes. Customers and staff complained that the process was too time consuming. Now shoppers will be given the option of choosing a tape measurement if they wish. One employee last night hailed the lifting of the ban as a ‘victory for common sense.’ The U-Turn will also be linked to the ongoing debate about trans rights. The ban – revealed in May – was widely perceived to be a reaction to comments made by Harry Potter author J K Rowling. Ms Rowling, who has been a longstanding critic of trans activism, called for a boycott of the store last August after a shopper complained a transwoman worker had offered to measure her 14-year-old daughter for a bra fitting in the changing rooms area. Marks & Spencer have dropped a controversial ban on tape measures for bra fittings which was introduced following a row about transgender staff assisting female customers  The ban on tape measurements meant shoppers had to rely on measurements by eye as well as then trying on different sizes In a post on X, the author said it was wrong that the store had ‘prioritised the wishes of men’ despite an earlier Supreme Court judgment which had reaffirmed the right to changing rooms based on biological sex. She wrote: ‘It’s time for women to vote with their wallets. If stores like M&S continue to flout the Supreme Court ruling on women-only spaces, prioritising the wishes of men who want to undress near, or help fit bras on teenage girls, a boycott seems appropriate.’ M&S apologised to the customer and insisted that the employee had meant to offer general assistance rather than help with a bra fitting. The store has always maintained that its subsequent ban on tape measurements had nothing to do with that controversy. M&S said last night: ‘As the UK’s lingerie market leader, we continuously improve our service. ‘We have an expert team of trained bra fitters, and they can use a tape measure if they or the customer prefers this. ‘We have recently communicated this to our colleagues to make this clearer.’