Victoria Beckham is taking legal advice after a takeaway restaurant advert branded her an ‘anorexic fashion icon’ and compares its thin pizza crusts to her slender frame.
Sidhu Golden Fish and Chips in Battle Hill, North Tyneside, proudly declares its pizza crusts are thinner than the former Spice Girl and fashion designer on an advert on the back of its delivery van – but owners are now reportedly planning to take it down.
Now a spokeswoman for the businesswoman has branded the restaurant ‘thoughtless’ and ‘inappropriate’ for its use of the advert, which has been in place for the last three years.
The slogan on the back of the van features a skeletal caricature of the former pop singer and wife of footballer David Beckham, in which she is wearing a sash which reads ‘Anorexic Fashion Icon’. It then states: ‘Our new Victoria Beckham thin crust only 2mm thin.’
The fashion designer’s spokeswoman said: ‘It is highly inappropriate to trivialize such a disorder, and defamatory to be so thoughtless with a person’s reputation in this way.’
The takeaway restaurant came under fire for the advert yesterday after an anorexia charity claimed that the shocking slogan ‘puts people at genuine risk’ of eating disorders.
However, manager Soni Sidhu said that he never meant to offend anyone with the advert, which has been on the back of the van for about three years – and that his customers see it in context.
The 32-year-old said that the company was ‘horrified and hurt’ by comments made by Marg Oaten MBE, of the Seed anorexia charity yesterday, who said that the advert would promote eating disorders.
‘Anorexia and any mental illness are very serious.’
However, he said that his customers were sensible enough to realise that the advert was not meant to offend.
Soni added: ‘We have always stated even if one individual is upset or offended by our advert we would be more than happy to take it down.From all the comments on newspaper websites and our Facebook page we have received nothing but support.
It is reassuring the general public are sensible enough to differentiate between make-believe and real life. It is offered as a fun way to make people smile, and to escape from the daily hustle and bustle of life. We would be genuinely horrified if anyone was genuinely offended.’
‘If, in 2017 Britain, we are asked to take down this advert it will be a sad day for freedom of expression.’
