Retailers’ statements about used lingerie report

On Monday, May 17, TODAY aired an investigative report about used undergarments and swimwear being put back on sale as if they were new.

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In statements, Marshalls and Walmart told us what we found is unacceptable, and their employees violated store policy by reselling used underwear and bathing suits. Because of our investigation, they’re now reinforcing this policy with staff.

Below are full statements from representatives of retailers cited in the segment:

Statement from Marshalls spokesperson Sherry Lang:
“At Marshalls, we take customer concerns very seriously and appreciate your bringing this matter to our attention.  It is our store policy not to accept used or worn merchandise for refund, including bathing suits.  Although we have not been able to investigate this particular situation, it appears that a used bathing suit may have been mistakenly accepted for return in one of our stores.  We have communicated with our stores reinforcing our merchandise return policy.”

Statement from Walmart spokesperson David Tovar:
“Selling undergarments or swimwear that may have been worn and returned is unacceptable and something we will not tolerate. We are taking this very seriously and working quickly to determine what happened. In the meantime, we are sending a notification to all field managers and Walmart store associates to reinforce the proper guidelines for handling returned undergarments and swimwear. To be clear, returned undergarments or swimwear that are un-packaged or un-sealed should never be placed back on the sales floor, regardless of their condition.”