April 6, 2026
SunshineSeeds/Depositphotos.com
What Does the Future Look Like for Plus-Size Women’s Apparel?
There’s a significant change afoot in terms of SKU variety and overall inventory in the plus-size apparel for women category, according to several reports — at least partially, though not entirely, aligned with the increased proliferation of GLP-1 weight-loss drugs.
A Dec. 2025 report from WWD’s Catherine Salfino pointed out that many brands, including Chanel and American Eagle, offered zero products fitting the stated average U.S. female consumer waist size of ~38 inches, or a size 1X or 2X. Salfino quoted Amrita Bhasin of Sotira, a U.S. distributor for overstock products from top brands, on the subject.
“A lot of retailers and brands are pulling their plus-size lines entirely. From my vantage point, which is inventory forecasting and reverse logistics, we’re seeing plus-size is being liquidated—and it feels potentially prematurely,” Bhasin said.
“On top of that, in the last six to nine months, we see SKU ranges are definitely getting smaller. The trends around this are accelerating faster than anybody has really planned for—especially on the production side. So, if we make any decisions now, we may see we need even fewer plus sizes in nine months. Or brands and retailers may have regrets and feel like they pulled too much. We don’t know what’s going to happen,” she added.
And despite the rise in semaglutide usage, the worldwide plus-size clothing market is expected to attain a CAGR of 4.8% from 2025 through 2031, hitting $357 billion by 2031. Despite this, FIT professor Mallorie Dunn — also cited by Salfino — suggested that women’s plus-size assortment was vanishing across 2025: In February 2025, 86% of H&M’s inventory fit plus-sized consumers, down to just 50% by December of the same year. During the same time frame, Old Navy dipped from 76% to 61%, L.L.Bean from 63% to 46%, and Nike from 82% to 61%.
Plus-Sized Fashion Consumers Feel ‘Sidelined’ by Retailers, New Report Suggests
In a more recent report issued by CNN’s Ramishah Maruf, several consumers of plus-sized apparel made it clear that the current retail business was not adequately meeting their needs.
Stating that many current products were either “too matronly” or too expensive, and that her local Target had pull its plus sizes in total, Chicago-area fashion influencer Ann Lindsay spoke her mind on what she perceived as a current cultural movement.
“I see the direction of skinny culture. Brands are just falling right in line with what they think people want,” Lindsay said.
A second plus-size fashion influencer, Kimmy Garris of Nashville, also told CNN that an issue was ongoing.
“(GLP-1s are) just an excuse for retailers to continue to push fat people out of the space and just restrict options and continue to mass produce certain sizes of clothing,” Garris suggested.
In an April 6 LinkedIn post, GlobalData managing director and RetailWire BrainTrust panelist Neil Saunders outlined the current state of affairs.
“The trend has recently been attributed to the rise of GLP-1 weight-loss drugs and a resurgence of skinny culture. Those things are, indeed, playing an increasing role in reducing choice. However, the roots of this go back further,” he stated.
“In a bid to optimize assortments and SKU counts, many retailers previously reduced slower-selling size options in stores, directing shoppers who needed those sizes online. And now, plus sizes are facing even more scrutiny, as they can complicate manufacturing and increase costs for retailers. All of this leaves a significant portion of the consumer market underserved,” he concluded.
Maruf did note that, in general terms, that a notable number of major apparel brands had backed away from prior message of inclusivity — including Old Navy and Loft.
BrainTrust
Georganne Bender
Principal, KIZER & BENDER Speaking
Scott Benedict
Founder & CEO, Benedict Enterprises LLC
Neil Saunders
Managing Director, GlobalData
Recent Discussions
Discussion Questions
Do you believe that the plus-sized women’s apparel consumer is being adequately represented at the retail level? Why or why not? What does the future look like?
Do you think the proliferation of GLP-1 drugs is the primary reason behind the shrinking of plus-size assortment for women? If not, what factor is more influential?
Poll
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From our data, the proportion of plus-size consumers saying it is hard to find their sizes in physical stores has risen from 22% in 2018 to 36% in 2024. Some of this is down to retailers reducing the sizes they stock in store for the sake of efficiency – and that happened long before weight loss drugs were a thing. However, this is certainly now being exacerbated by the rise of GLP-1s, which are modestly reducing demand for larger sizes and is leading to a further pullback. The problem is that there is a significant contingent of plus-size consumers who feel short-changed.
So, “a lot of retailers and brands are pulling their plus-size lines entirely.” That’s just swell. Let’s drop the pretense, they never really wanted those customers in the first place. Plus-size collections were underbought, poorly merchandised, and hidden in some corner like an afterthought.
Spare me the narrative that everyone is suddenly shrinking thanks to GLP-1 drugs. That’s not reality. The reality is most plus-size women walk into stores and already know they won’t be accommodated. Do the people running these companies ever step outside? Look at actual women? Talk to customers who don’t fit a sample size?
Even with the popularity of weight loss drugs, the average American woman still wears a size 14. This isn’t a sizing problem; it’s an industry problem. A willful refusal to design for, buy for, and respect the majority of female customers. Instead of fixing it, the apparel industry just finds new ways to make women who aren’t a size 0 feel like sh*t.
The plus-size women’s apparel consumer remains underserved and inconsistently represented at retail, despite the size and growth of the market. The global plus-size women’s apparel market exceeded $324 billion in 2025 and is projected to grow significantly over the next decade, underscoring that this is not a niche segment but a major consumer opportunity. At the same time, representation trends suggest a pullback. Recent runway and fashion data shows plus-size representation falling to just 0.3% of looks, highlighting a broader shift away from inclusive sizing and representation across the industry.
GLP-1 drugs are certainly influencing the apparel landscape, but they are not the primary driver behind shrinking plus-size assortments. Adoption of GLP-1 medications is increasing rapidly — with roughly 23% of U.S. households reporting usage and many consumers needing new clothing as they change sizes, which is beginning to shift apparel demand and size curves. However, these changes are still evolving and unlikely to eliminate the need for plus-size apparel. In fact, the same trend is expected to increase overall apparel purchases, as consumers refresh wardrobes during weight transitions.
More influential factors include traditional retail dynamics: inventory complexity, margin pressure, inconsistent sizing standards, and the historical tendency for retailers to narrow assortments during periods of uncertainty. These operational challenges often make extended sizes more difficult to execute profitably, leading retailers to reduce offerings even when demand remains meaningful.
Consumer sentiment also reflects this concern. In recent online discussions, shoppers note shrinking plus-size assortments at major retailers and fear that options may move toward niche or online-only offerings rather than broad in-store availability. One commenter observed that “Target is getting rid of their plus size area… brands just stopped selling extended sizes”, highlighting perceived declines in accessibility.
Ultimately, the future of plus-size apparel is unlikely to be driven by a single factor. Body diversity remains a long-term reality, and the market opportunity remains large. GLP-1 medications may shift size distribution, but they are more likely to create fluid sizing demand rather than eliminate the plus-size customer altogether.
Retailers that succeed will likely:
- Offer more flexible sizing and adaptable fits
- Maintain inclusive representation in marketing and merchandising
- Use data-driven planning to adjust size curves dynamically
- Ensure availability both in-store and online
In short, the plus-size customer is still a significant and growing segment. While GLP-1 drugs may influence demand patterns, broader retail execution and assortment strategy will likely prove far more important in determining how well this customer is represented going forward.
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From our data, the proportion of plus-size consumers saying it is hard to find their sizes in physical stores has risen from 22% in 2018 to 36% in 2024. Some of this is down to retailers reducing the sizes they stock in store for the sake of efficiency – and that happened long before weight loss drugs were a thing. However, this is certainly now being exacerbated by the rise of GLP-1s, which are modestly reducing demand for larger sizes and is leading to a further pullback. The problem is that there is a significant contingent of plus-size consumers who feel short-changed.
So, “a lot of retailers and brands are pulling their plus-size lines entirely.” That’s just swell. Let’s drop the pretense, they never really wanted those customers in the first place. Plus-size collections were underbought, poorly merchandised, and hidden in some corner like an afterthought.
Spare me the narrative that everyone is suddenly shrinking thanks to GLP-1 drugs. That’s not reality. The reality is most plus-size women walk into stores and already know they won’t be accommodated. Do the people running these companies ever step outside? Look at actual women? Talk to customers who don’t fit a sample size?
Even with the popularity of weight loss drugs, the average American woman still wears a size 14. This isn’t a sizing problem; it’s an industry problem. A willful refusal to design for, buy for, and respect the majority of female customers. Instead of fixing it, the apparel industry just finds new ways to make women who aren’t a size 0 feel like sh*t.
The plus-size women’s apparel consumer remains underserved and inconsistently represented at retail, despite the size and growth of the market. The global plus-size women’s apparel market exceeded $324 billion in 2025 and is projected to grow significantly over the next decade, underscoring that this is not a niche segment but a major consumer opportunity. At the same time, representation trends suggest a pullback. Recent runway and fashion data shows plus-size representation falling to just 0.3% of looks, highlighting a broader shift away from inclusive sizing and representation across the industry.
GLP-1 drugs are certainly influencing the apparel landscape, but they are not the primary driver behind shrinking plus-size assortments. Adoption of GLP-1 medications is increasing rapidly — with roughly 23% of U.S. households reporting usage and many consumers needing new clothing as they change sizes, which is beginning to shift apparel demand and size curves. However, these changes are still evolving and unlikely to eliminate the need for plus-size apparel. In fact, the same trend is expected to increase overall apparel purchases, as consumers refresh wardrobes during weight transitions.
More influential factors include traditional retail dynamics: inventory complexity, margin pressure, inconsistent sizing standards, and the historical tendency for retailers to narrow assortments during periods of uncertainty. These operational challenges often make extended sizes more difficult to execute profitably, leading retailers to reduce offerings even when demand remains meaningful.
Consumer sentiment also reflects this concern. In recent online discussions, shoppers note shrinking plus-size assortments at major retailers and fear that options may move toward niche or online-only offerings rather than broad in-store availability. One commenter observed that “Target is getting rid of their plus size area… brands just stopped selling extended sizes”, highlighting perceived declines in accessibility.
Ultimately, the future of plus-size apparel is unlikely to be driven by a single factor. Body diversity remains a long-term reality, and the market opportunity remains large. GLP-1 medications may shift size distribution, but they are more likely to create fluid sizing demand rather than eliminate the plus-size customer altogether.
Retailers that succeed will likely:
In short, the plus-size customer is still a significant and growing segment. While GLP-1 drugs may influence demand patterns, broader retail execution and assortment strategy will likely prove far more important in determining how well this customer is represented going forward.