Demi Lovato sparked major controversy online after lashing out at The Bigg Chill, an iconic Los Angeles frozen yogurt shop with more than 36 years in business. The singer harshly criticized the business for offering sugar-free products labeled as “diet” or “guilt-free”, furiously claiming that such messages were dangerous for people with eating disorders (EDs), a battle she herself has publicly faced.
However, the background behind these products was very different. The shop’s owners clarified that they were not designed to promote diets, but to serve customers who were diabetic, vegan, or had celiac disease.
The singer eventually publicly acknowledged her mistake. She apologized after learning that those products were intended for diabetics, admitted that she had not known, and encouraged the shop to improve its signage. “I know people with eating disorders go to frozen yogurt shops, which is why I’m much more sensitive when I go in and see diet things […] I’m very sorry I was misunderstood; I got very intense”, she concluded.
Although this tense episode originally occurred in 2021, the case went viral again recently, reopening the debate over the thin line between social responsibility and online pile-ons against small businesses. 👀