POUNDLAND shoppers have blasted t-shirts reading “future WAG” as a “horrible message” for young girls.
The bargain store is selling football merchandise to celebrate the Euros 2020 – but fans have branded the designs as “sexist nonsense”.
Poundland shared photos of the clothing – including t-shirts with the slogans “goal digger” and “future WAG” – on Facebook ahead of England’s game against Scotland on Friday.
But instead of firing people up for the hotly anticipated match, it sparked outrage among shoppers.
One woman shared her disgust at the range, commenting: “What a horrible horrible message to be giving to women and girls.. it’s 2021 you know!”
Another asked: “What the hell is this sexist nonsense?
“Poundland, do you have any women, or men with daughters, on your product purchasing/marketing team? If so, they should be ashamed of themselves.”
While one commented: “Young girls and women should set their sights a lot higher than being some man’s accessory till they get fed up with you.”
Campaigners from Let Clothes Be Clothes, a group set up to challenge “harmful gender stereotyping in children’s clothing”, stormed: “Oh no they didn’t!
“Not only did they design/buy in this sexist garbage, they put it on a stand with baby England rompers too (WAGs have to have little England babies obvs), took a photo and then shared it on social media.
“Why is this level of blatant, harmful sexism and gender stereotyping STILL deemed ok? Its not funny, its old, tired and deeply offensive. Poundland sort it out.”
Angry shoppers quickly started a petition to have the clothing removed from stores.
It asks why the tops can’t have more positive messages like “future footballer” and “#ThisGirlCan”.
One woman wrote: “I’m signing because I hate misogyny and sexism. Instead of trying eradicate it, Poundland want to keep it alive!”
Another said: “Our daughters are more than wives and girlfriends. I can’t believe we are still having to sign petitions like this in 2021!”
While one commented: “Clothes are clothes! Any child can aspire to be a footballer if that’s what they want.
“Just because someone was born a girl doesn’t mean their worth is as a wife. Why do we keep doing things like this as a society?”
A Poundland spokesperson said the clothing range wasn’t new, adding: “It’s stock that was available during the 2018 World Cup in Russia and while they’ve been popular, we appreciate the feedback.”
