Demi Lovato has defended herself from bullying claims after calling out a small business over its "diet foods".
On Sunday, the 28-year-old singer had taken to her Instagram Stories to publically condemn frozen yogurt shop The Bigg Chill for offering "tons of sugar free cookies" and "other diet foods".
After drawing criticism for her damning statement against the store, Lovato has now spoken out again in a video, saying her "intentions were not to bully a small business".
Lovato told her 102 million Instagram followers: "I am really outspoken about the things that I believe in. I have to remember that sometimes my messaging can lose its meaning when I get emotional.
"I am human, I am somebody who is very passionate about what I believe in and I've lived through enough to know when to speak up for people who don't have a voice. I messaged this fro-yo place.
"Originally I wanted to make a point and I wanted to call out behaviors that didn't sit right with me.
"As someone who is in recovery from an eating disorder, I still to this day have a hard time walking into a frozen yogurt shop, ordering yogurt, being content with it and keeping it down."
Lovato added that she "definitely jumps to conclusions and probably shouldn't have gone about this the way that I have" and said she hoped to work with the shop to "get the messaging right".
The Trainwreck singer went on: "It's really important that everyone understands that my intentions were not to bully a small business, that was not it. I walked in, it was so triggering that I left without fro-yo and made me really sad."
In her original criticism of the frozen yogurt shop over the weekend, Lovato wrote: "Finding it extremely hard to order froyo from [The Bigg Chill] when you have to walk past tons of sugar-free cookies/other diet foods before you get to the counter. Do Better Please."
The La La Land hitmaker then branded the store "#DietCultureVultures" and continued: "So, I think I'm gonna have to make that hashtag a thing.
"I will be calling harmful messaging from brands or companies that perpetuate a society that not only enables but praises disordered eating."
The Bigg Chill responded to Lovato's post and denied that they were "diet vultures" as their diet foods cater to all their customers – including those with health conditions such as diabetes and Celiac disease, as well as vegans and others who simply prefer the "diet" option.
Many people weren't happy with how Lovato handled the situation:
Among those criticizing her "attack" on the store was former Good Morning Britain host Piers Morgan.
In a Mail Online piece, Morgan ridiculed Lovato's "woke" post, writing: "I was triggered by Ms Lovato herself. The more this repulsively arrogant woman attacked this lovely little store in her staggeringly unhinged and delusional manner, the more furious I became."
