Ten major retailers sign up to guidelines on childrens' clothing

Ten high street stores have enforced a strict code to outlaw provocative and sexually-suggestive clothes being sold for children.

The shops have followed the ban by UK retailers last year to promote practical, age-appropriate garments for youngsters.

Children’s Minister Frances Fitzgerald said parents need to be empowered to prevent the sexualisation of children.

“Irish childhood has changed and continues to change. We all have a responsibility to make sure that those changes are positive for our children,” she said.

“Some things are not the same for adults and children. Never have been, never will be.

“This includes clothes with suggestive slogans, overtly sexual cuts and styles and unreal or unbalanced portrayals of an ’ideal’ body image. The new guidelines recognise these differences.”

Retail Ireland, the organisation which represents the 10 stores, said the aim was for designers and fashion buyers to feel the impact of the guidelines, not consumers.

Director Stephen Lynam said: “All responsible retailers recognise their responsibility to provide age-appropriate clothing designs and market these to parents in ways that protect childhood and safeguard the interest of children.

“These new guidelines provide extra reassurance for parents that retailers are just as concerned as they are about what their children wear.”

The 10 Retail Ireland members invited to sign up to the voluntary code are Arnotts, Brown Thomas, Clerys, Debenhams, House of Fraser, Marks & Spencer, Next, Penneys, Tesco and TK Maxx.

Ms Fitzgerald called on all other retailers selling children’s clothes to sign up to the guidelines.

Some of the leading retailers not linked to Retail Ireland have been invited to adopt the code, include Dunnes, H&M and Gap.

Until the guidelines were agreed some shops were freely selling padded bras, crop tops, t-shirts shaped like bras, hot pants, high heels and garments with provocative slogans or symbols in children’s sizes as young as five.

The new code, which aims to market clothes at parents and not children, will enforce rules for under 12s.

Mr Lynam added: “The consumer is king. It’s in the interest of retailers to market to the parents.

“Everyone has a responsibility. The vast majority of retailers are responsible - where there have been instances of irresponsibility it may not have been deliberate.”

The code states that slogans and imagery must be age appropriate and not sexually suggestive, demeaning or derogatory while fabrics and cut should ensure modesty – brand names, humour and trademarks need to be carefully considered while sheer material is banned on bodices or skirts.

Children’s underwear should also be carefully designed to differentiate it from lingerie while swimwear should also ensure modesty, and should be age appropriate.

Everyday footwear should be stable and supporting with heels no higher than 2.5 cm or one inch.

Elsewhere, it says that colours should be age appropriate and in keeping with the item of clothing – for example black is the wrong colour for a first bra - while child models should only be used within defined parameters such as little or no make-up and natural poses.

Retail Ireland also warned that online marketing must be closely watched to ensure it follows the code.

Products in breach of the rules can be removed from shop shelves.

The British Retail Consortium (BRC) adopted a similar strategy last year.