Major UK retailers Marks & Spencer and John Lewis are reducing their availability of larger clothing sizes. This shift follows the widespread adoption of weight-loss medications like Mounjaro, which is altering consumer body compositions across the country.
The sharp decline in M&S size 22-24 availability
Marks & Spencer has significantly reduced its proportion of larger-sized dresses in recent months .. according to analysis by the retail intelligence platform Edited, the share of new dresses offered in size 18 and above at M&S fell from 34% to 27%.
The most drastic reduction in size availability occurred at the extreme end of the spectrum for Marks & Spencer. the report found that dresses in sizes 22 to 24 accounted for just 0.4% of the retailer's summer offerings , a sharp decline from the 2.2% recorded two years ago.
John Lewis has also seen a contraction in its largest offerings. While the overall number of new plus-size dresses at John Lewis increased, the largest sizes accounted for only 19.2% of the range this summer, down from 22.3% in 2024, as reported by The Daily Telegraph.
How GLP-1 medications are altering the British silhouette
Weight-loss medications like Mounjaro are driving a fundamental shift in consumer body compositions across the United Kingdom. A study by market research firm Mintel revealed that 8% of British adults have already used a GLP-1 injection or another form of prescription weight-loss medication.
Retailers are increasingly reacting to a future where a significant portion of the population may be using weight-loss treatments. Predictions suggest that as many as one in eight Britons could be on some form of weight-loss medication by next year, according to the data provided to The Daily Telegraph.
This medical trend is creating a tension between inventory efficiency and social inclusivity. Tamara Sender Ceron, an associate principal at Mintel, noted that the rising popularity of these "fat jabs" is believed to have a negative effect on inclusivity among Generation Z and younger millennials.
Debenhams' defense against shrinking inclusivity claims
Debenhams has contested the notion that its plus-size range is being actively diminished . While the Edited study noted that plus-size dresses at Debenhams fell from 23% to 17.4%, the retailer claims this figure is a byproduct of its business model rather than a reduction in stock .
The retailer maintains that its platform has expanded to include more than 25,000 third-party brands, which naturally shifts the proportion of its own "Curve" range. this leaves an open question for analysts: is the reduction a deliberate retreat from plus-size shoppers, or simply a mathematical byproduct of a massive third-party expansion?
Fashion influencer Caroline Sigamoney has criticized the lack of inclusive sizing at major retailers like M&S. She suggested that the current trend is a primary reason why many plus-size women have stopped shopping on the traditional high street.
The steady 44% share held by George at Asda
Not all UK retailers are retreating from the plus-size market in response to changing body types. George at Asda has maintained a relatively stable presence in the extended sizing category.
Data from Edited shows that the share of new-in plus-sized clothes at George at Asda has remained steady at approximately 43-44% over the last few years. This stability suggests that some high street players are still prioritizing inclusive sizing despite the broader trend of shrinkage seen at Marks & Spencer and John Lewis.
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