One in five women who is at least a clothing size 42 believes shops need to stock more larger sizes, according to an online survey by VROUW.nl.

The Dutch magazine reported on Wednesday that in a survey of more than 3,665 readers, some were unhappy with the selection in stores.

‘If clothes shopping used to be a Dutch woman’s favourite hobby, now for many it is a nightmare,’ the magazine claimed.

The average Dutch size is 44, and stylist Edith Dohmen (a 46/48) wrote on her website, www.stylehasnosize.com: ‘I might be fatter than average, but that doesn’t mean I don’t want to look good. Shopping chains need to wake up. The average size in the Netherlands is more than a 38.’

But there is hope, the magazine claimed, after Spaniard Anna Riera gathered almost 112,000 signatures to successfully persuade the chain Zara to stock XXL clothing.