By ARTHUR MARTIN

Last updated at 00:03 16 February 2008

Their fashion items range in size from small to XXL.

But it seems that the bosses at Next would prefer their store staff to conform to a much narrower range of dimensions.

Thousands of employees of the high street chain have been handed a style guide which appears to demand that they look as slim as possible while at work.

Female staff who do not have the same slender features of its catalogue models are encouraged to "try out magic pants to hide lumps and bumps".

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They are advised to wear neck scarves to draw attention "away from those body parts you want to hide".

Employees with rounder midriffs are specifically targeted by the chain's style police. The guide suggests they should avoid tight-fitting clothes, but also excessively baggy tops and dresses, which, it says, could make them look bigger.

On the other side of the style leaflet, male workers are given similar guidance. They are encouraged to wear bright shirts and ties to take attention away from "love handles".

It also suggests the use of pinstripes to look taller and slimmer. The leaflet caused anger and bemusement when it was handed out to more than 200 staff at a Next branch in Lakeside shopping centre in Essex.

They were given the leaflet by security staff as they finished work. The following day they were given team talks by managers who stressed the importance of the campaign.

One male shop assistant described the move as "an insult". "Everyone's really upset, especially the women," he said.

"OK, tell us about the sort of things they'd like us to wear if they must but to refer to love handles and double chins and magic pants to cover bumps was way over the top.

"It's demeaning and it has made a lot of people feel very self-conscious. What they're going to end up with is mutton dressed as lamb.

"Also, it's not as if anyone here can afford a fantastic wardrobe. I'm on £5.50 an hour which is just above the minimum wage and even an assistant manager gets only £6.80."

The style guide was quickly condemned by the Beat, an organisation that helps people with eating disorders.

Chief executive Susan Ring said: "What Next is saying here is that it wants the people who work in its stores to look as slim as possible so that the customers see the clothes on the staff and want to buy them.

"Stylists should be trying to show people the best ways to show off their figure and not imply that everyone has to conform to this skinny image.

"The company is entitled to expect people in its stores to dress smartly and with a certain amount of style. After all, it is selling clothes.

"But I don't agree with extending this to telling staff they must dress along these set guidelines. If you are the type of person who needs magic knickers this style guide might add to your insecurities."

A spokesman for Next said: "On reflection, we've made a rather thoughtless mistake. What was intended as magazine-style fashion tips has caused offence which was never intended. We have withdrawn the leaflet and apologised for the error."