Today’s post is a little different, but it’s about something I’m incredibly passionate about. If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, you’ll know that I’m a strong advocate for eating disorder awareness and mental health. The reason for this is deeply personal — my eldest daughter has been suffering from Anorexia Nervosa for the last 21 years. Even after all that time, there still isn’t anywhere near enough awareness surrounding eating disorders, particularly anorexia. Considering it’s the biggest killer of all mental health conditions, that’s just not good enough.
Christmas can be a very difficult time for those suffering from or recovering from an eating disorder. Recently, I saw something that honestly left me stunned, especially in 2025. It was a Christmas jumper on the Next website. I love Next as a brand, and it’s one of my favourite places to shop for clothing, shoes, and homeware, so I was genuinely shocked to see this jumper being sold on their website.
I am absolutely appalled that this is on sale, not only in Next, a reputable clothing store, but at all, in 2025. Why do we need diet culture rammed down our throats any more than it already is? January is already a minefield of “new year, new you” messaging, but I haven’t seen anything like this before Christmas for quite some time, and certainly not from a brand like Next.
The wording on the jumper is outdated and dangerous. Young children seeing it and asking what it means could lead to unnecessary and potentially harmful conversations. I’ve spoken before about how we talk around children, saying things like “No thank you, I’m being good” when offered cake. Being good? As opposed to what, being bad for eating a piece of cake? Children absorb everything, and this kind of language can plant unhealthy ideas about food and self-worth, especially if they’re already predisposed to mental health struggles.
A slogan implying “eat whatever you want, because it’s Christmas” might sound light-hearted to some, but it’s equally damaging. Because the moment Christmas Day ends, the messaging flips, suddenly we’re told to lose weight, get “summer body ready,” and join slimming clubs. Diet culture goes into overdrive on Boxing Day, and every TV advert seems to be about dieting, “healthy” food ranges, or gym gear.
It’s not just Next, either. Marks & Spencer is just as bad with their food adverts. One minute, it’s all “indulge” and “treat yourself” and we all know the slogan, “It’s not just any Yule Log…” and then, come Boxing Day, it’s all about the M&S “healthy” range. I understand that diet culture is a multi-million-pound industry, but I wish these companies would take a moment to consider the impact this has on people who find this time of year incredibly difficult.
And to release jumpers with slogans like this in October, meaning they’ll be on display for months, just makes it worse.
If the CEO of Next had a child suffering from an eating disorder, would they still think this jumper was acceptable? I doubt it. I’m not saying people shouldn’t buy it or wear it, that’s a personal choice. But please, think about how it might come across to others. And if you hear someone say it’s funny or harmless, try to gently educate them about the dangers of eating disorders.
I’m not trying to dampen anyone’s Christmas spirit, I absolutely love Christmas. But I also love my daughter, and watching your child suffer at the hands of anorexia is absolutely devastating. It’s something I wouldn’t wish on anyone, and as long as I have breath in my body, I’ll never stop trying to raise awareness of eating disorders and the damage caused by careless messaging like this.
I hope my post today has come across as I wanted it to, not preachy or miserable, just a mum who's trying her best to educate and raise awareness of a condition that, when my daughter began suffering with, I had no idea what to do or where to turn, there wasn't any information out there for me to get advice. This is one of the reasons I do what I do, because if I can help one mum or dad, friend or other family member from feeling as desperate as I did, well, it's all been worth it.
Thank you for reading,
Zoë x
