According to the complaint, the staff member politely asked if the pair, who were hoping to schedule a bra fitting, needed help in finding the right part of the store.

Asked how she knew the gender identity of the employee, she said: “This is obviously the case: (she) is at least 6ft 2in tall.”


After the mother lodged a complaint, an M&S customer service assistant reportedly wrote in an email: “We deeply regret the distress your daughter felt during her visit to our store. We understand how important this milestone is for her, and we are truly sorry that it did not go as you had hoped.”

Marks & Spencer would ensure her daughter “receives assistance from a female colleague” and would make “necessary arrangements” to ensure her experience was “as comfortable and positive as possible”, the email is said to have promised.