Meijer to end ‘plus-size’ clothing racks in early ’17

Women shopping for plus-size clothing at Meijer stores will no longer have to suffer the indignity of shopping in a different part of the store.

The Grand Rapids-based retailer announced that by early 2017, its 230 stores will put “straight and extended-sized on one rack” in the missy and women’s departments as part of a “inclusive shopping experience.” The change will place women’s sizes small through 3X on the same rack.

“Over the past few years, we’ve placed an increased focus on bringing more on-trend, affordable apparel to our customers,” said Peter Whitsett, executive vice president of merchandising and marketing, in a news release. “This fresh approach to shopping represents a continuation of that commitment, giving our customers the trends they’re looking for, regardless of what size they wear.”

The change also brings about a price adjustment for the bigger sizes: The company will have the same pricing for all women’s apparel so that all customers can access fashion at the same price, according to a news release.

“Plus-size apparel is often priced higher than missy or women’s sizes,” said Annette Repasch, group vice president of softlines for Meijer. “We believe all our customers deserve to pay the same price for the same trends, regardless of size.”

The move also helps Meijer maximize retail space. The “integrated” department shrinks the women’s section to 80 percent of its current size, Meijer said. This allows for more “trends and styles in the near future.”

Meijer started rolling out the changes in June. Currently, 15 Meijer stores have had their women’s sections adjusted.

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