A SHOPPER has complained these toilet signs are sexist as they show a woman with a baby.

The Marks and Spencer customer wrote to the company to argue the signs at the Holmbush store should be more equal and potentially show the man with a baby too.

Sharon Sawyer complained: “Marks and Spencer, I was surprised and disappointed at the pictures for the toilets at one of your stores. I expected being a family store that you understood that families very much share children’s needs and personal care, not just women.

“The picture below shows a woman and child.

“The picture in the comments just shows a man, why? This is in your Holmbush store at Shoreham. Please could you explain why this happened in your recent revamp and what plans you have to ensure that if you continue with these signs that both signs reflect or just have no pictures of children in for the future.”

The design was even criticised by one of Sussex Police’s hate crime ambassadors who said: “This should not be happening in 2017.”

Sergeant Peter Allan, a Hate Crime and Trans Equality Advocate for Sussex Police, chimed in to the Facebook discussion adding: “Well done. As you said, a surprise from M&S and in a recent refurb. I know I have had conversations with Tesco and Sainsburys about issues of gender identity.

“This should not still be happening in 2017, but with people like you, it will hopefully reduce.”

The signs in question indicate the gents’ toilets in the Holmbush shopping centre branch with the blue line drawing of a man wearing a necktie. The female toilets are indicated with a pink outline of a woman, wearing a pink dress but, unlike the man, she has with her a child in tow, illustrated in orange and clutching a cuddly toy.

Marks and Spencer’s own facebook account replied to Ms Sawyer to say: “Hi Sharon, thanks for your comments and I’ve shared them with our Development team for future review.”

However when The Argus contacted the company, it said no changes would be forthcoming.

A spokeswoman for Marks and Spencer explained that the toilet signage had not been changed in the recent refurbishment, which only updated other parts of the store interior.

She said the sign was intended to indicate there were baby-changing facilities in the women’s loo, although in fact in this branch there are also baby changing facilities in the men’s loo, as well as in a unisex area separate from either bathroom.

She added: “We have no current plans to change it, although that’s the old design. But as for as that store is concerned, we have no plans.”

Online the debate has drawn strong views on both sides with one commenter adding: “The man is for the male toilets. The baby changing is probably in the female toilets or next to it as it’s usually separate. It’s almost like people walk around wondering what they can get offended at.”