WA store closes after customer backlash for forcing mum to remove bottle from son due to 'no food or drink' policy

A West Australian clothing store has shut down after a backlash from customers who were disgusted that a young mother was told to remove a bottle from her baby's mouth because of the shop's 'no food and drink policy'.

Flirtatious clothing shop, located in Bunbury, announced it would be shutting its doors after 11 years via a sign sticky-taped to its front door.

The shop has been at the centre of a social media backlash from customers since Monday after the owner asked young mother Melissa Fielder not to bottle feed her baby in store.

Ms Fielder told the Bunbury Mail the owner inspected her pram before telling her to remove the bottle from her son's mouth because of the store's "no food and drink policy".

"I was shaking with outrage that someone could have the power to request that I either remove the bottle from my son's mouth or leave the store altogether," Ms Fielder said.

The young mother took to Facebook to write about her experience and warn other local mothers with children about the store.

Her post received overwhelming support, with many customers outraged at the policy.

"No one has the right to stop a baby from feeding no matter where they are," one woman wrote on the Bunbury Mail Facebook page after the paper broke the original story.

While another woman wrote: "I had the same drama, my four-month-old baby wasn't aloud (sic) his bottle!"

The owner of the store has declined to comment on the incident only to say that it has always been their policy not to allow food or drink in the store in order to avoid damage to stock.