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Sunday 27th January, 2008
BRA WARS - ASDA INVESTS MILLIONS TO GO FOR BUST

Fern Britton and Kelly Brook Top the Poll of Busty Brits

ASDA announced today (Monday 28 January 2008) that it will no longer penalise its bigger busted customers by ending the practice of charging larger ladies more money for their bras.   

The move sees an investment of over £4m per year by ASDA's clothing arm, George and means all of its bra wearing customers, over ten million in total, will pay the same price whatever cup size from A through to F. 

Currently many retailers charge more to accommodate ample bosoms, a difference of between £2 and £6 at George, and up to £10 at other outfitters depending on cup size.  

Although prices will continue to alter depending on styles, the practice of charging more depending on the cup size will be stopped. 

Commenting, Fiona Lambert, George's brand director said: "We are putting an end once and for all to one of the last prejudices - that of the bigger busted woman.  From now on all bras at George will be exactly the same price from A cup through to F cup." 

Lambert also sited the example of men's socks to hammer home just how ridiculous pricing structures were when it came to bras adding; "No one would dream of charging one price for a size seven men's sock and a different price for a man with larger feet, so why should they do the same with ladies that are blessed in the chest department." 

Research by ASDA has also shown that as a nation we love bigger-breasted women. 

While women include Fern Britton and Dawn French amongst their favourite larger busted women, men say they love Kelly Brook and Jordan.Dawn French, Charlotte Church and Martine McCutcheon appeared in both men’s and women’s top five, as did Jordan, however she appears as Katie Price in the women’s vote. Victoria Beckham made it onto the women’s list, but came in at number ten after Kelly Osbourne.

The survey amongst 1,000 Brits aged 16 – 55 showed that we are a nation of boob lovers.

Nations Top Ten Bigger Breasted Women:

As voted for by womenAs voted for by men

1.       Fern Britton

2.       Dawn French

3.       Judy Finnegan

4.       Lorraine Kelly

5.       Katie Price

6.       Barbra Windsor

7.       Charlotte Church

8.       Martine McCutheon

9.       Kelly Osbourne

10.   Victoria Beckham

1.       Kelly Brook

2.       Dawn French

3.       Nigella Lawson

4.       Jordan

5.       Vanessa Feltz

6.       Charlotte Church

7.       Martine McCutcheon

8.       Cheryl Cole

9.       Danielle Lloyd

10.   Susannah Constantine

ASDA kicks off its 'Bra Wars Initiative' today and is calling on others to follow its lead by charging exactly the same price whatever the cup size.

George has a specialist team of lingerie designers, ten in total with over 50 years collective experience. Its focus has and continues to be delivering fantastic value for money linked to great design. Its dedicated sourcing team has ensured that everything George sells is sourced in line with the Ethical Trading Initiative's code of practice.   This is achieved by having long term relationships with a smaller number of factories that are shared with other well known high street stores, through regular independent audits and by George colleagues regularly visiting factories.   George has a zero tolerance approach to abuse of any kind.  If examples are found the retailers works with the supplier to put things right. 

-ENDS-

Notes for Editors

Images from asda.co.uk press centre  The 2001 census states that there are 30 million women in the UK.  One in three wear a George bra.

A HistoryDuring recorded history, women have used a variety of garments and devices to cover, restrain, or elevate their breasts. Brassiere or bikini-like garments are depicted on some female athletes in the seventh century BC during the Minoan civilization era. Similar functionality was achieved by both outerwear and underwear. From the 16th century onwards, the undergarments of wealthier women were dominated by the corset, which pushed the breasts upwards. In the latter part of the 19th century, clothing designers began experimenting with various alternatives to the corset, trying things like splitting the corset into multiple parts: a girdle-like restraining device for the lower torso, and devices that suspended the breasts from the shoulder for the upper torso. By the early 20th century, garments more closely resembling contemporary bras had emerged, although large-scale commercial production did not occur until the 1930s. Since then, bras have replaced corsets (although some prefer camisoles), and bra manufacture and sale has become a multi-billion-dollar industry. Over time, the emphasis on bras has largely shifted from functionality to fashion.[5] In China during the Ming dynasty a form of foundation cloth complete with cups and straps drawn over shoulders and tied to the girth seam at the lower back called a dudou was in vogue among the rich women. (Oriental Clothing and Modern Fetishism, various authors, ed. Partho Shanner, 1996, Yeti, Hong Kong). While they first arose in the Ming Dynasty, were also common in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). In English they are known as 'stomach protectors' or 'tummy covers' [1] 



 

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