Forever 21 is facing backlash from some customers who said they were disappointed to find the retailer included an unsolicited sample of an Atkins diet bar in their online orders.
The retailer, known for selling trendy pieces for people on a budget, was called out on social media by some customers who said that sending an unsolicited sample of a diet bar was offensive and hurtful.
"I have received my order of 5 items from the plus section.....oh and this #atkins bar that slipped in there. I don't take kindly to people telling me how to live my life," said one Twitter user named Gigi. Many others shared similar complaints.
The free bar appeared to be packed on top of many plus-sized orders, based on the comments posted online. However, a statement from Forever 21 said the bars were sent to customers of all sizes.
Either way, some felt that the implication could negatively affect the recipient's body image.
Others felt that the promotional sample was being taken out of context.
A spokesperson for Forever 21 told TODAY Style in a statement that it occasionally gives away free samples of third party test products to online shoppers.
"The freebie items in question were included in all online orders, across all sizes and categories, for a limited time and have since been removed," the statement said. "This was an oversight on our part and we sincerely apologize for any offense this may have caused to our customers, as this was not our intention in any way."