Is this an admirable initiative aimed at improving women’s self-worth or just another reason for them to worry about their body image?

A Croydon shopping centre is one of three across the country that has covered up changing room mirrors in a bizarre new trial aimed at making people feel less body conscious.

Croydon Centrale is preventing people checking out their reflection after research revealed almost three quarters of British women don’t feel confident buying clothes after looking in the changing room mirror.

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The research, carried out by the Bullring shopping centre in Birmingham, also found 52 per cent of woman didn’t feel good about themselves after looking at their reflection.

More than a fifth of women only trust friends and family to comment on an outfit over the changing room mirror, the study suggests.

Shoppers reaction to the covered up changing room mirrors. Video: Centrale shopping centres

Notably, the research fails to mention other factors that contribute to female body confidence issues – like incessant cultural scrutiny of women’s appearance and unrealistic body types promoted by the fashion industry.

The study also chooses to ignore any body image issues that men may face.

Shopping centre bosses say changing room mirrors are “unflattering” and that people should buy an outfit “based on whether or not it makes them feel fabulous”.

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They said with “bikini season underway” women are more body conscious than usual and encouraged women to “be proud of their bodies and feel confident both inside and out”

Ian Harvey, marketing manager at Centrale, said: "One of the main reasons people come to our shopping centres is to buy clothes, whether that be a brand new wardrobe or a one off item for a special occasion.

“We want to ensure that everyone feels comfortable and confident when trying on clothes, so that's why we're trialing banning the mirrors.

“We hope that women in particular will try something on and feel gorgeous and glamorous. Hopefully this will be a success and we can roll it out across our shopping centres for the summer."

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