Lack Of Support Prompts Sara Lee To Pull Wonderbra From China

U.S. lingerie leader Sara Lee Corp. has withdrawn the cleavage-enhancing Wonderbra from shops in Shanghai because the popular bra is priced beyond the reach of most local consumers. China's underwear industry has boomed in the 1990s, with growing demand in urban areas for sophisticated styles in a more affluent and liberated society. About 300 million items are expected to be sold this year, according to retailers at a recent lingerie and beachwear trade fair in Shanghai. But Chinese store managers accuse Wonderbra of pushing up prices and overestimating the buying power of consumers. Wonderbra entered the Chinese market two years ago with price tags between $36 and $72. That is 10 times costlier than a standard bra by a local manufacturer.