Justin Bieber slams H&M "trash" merchandise featuring his image

Pop singer Justin Bieber lashed out at H&M over clothes featuring the Canadian artist's image and lyrics, saying the Swedish fashion retailer had not obtained his approval.

"The H&M merch they made of me is trash and I didn't approve it," Bieber wrote in an Instagram story on Monday, encouraging his 270 million followers not to buy it.

H&M said separately that it had removed the Bieber-related products from sale and they no longer appeared available in its online stores.

"We have followed all approval stages, but while we are still checking this with all concerned parties, items have been removed from selling," an H&M spokesperson said in a written comment to Reuters.

The online store of the world's second biggest fashion retailer was offering hoodies, T-shirts and sweatshirts with pictures of Bieber or quotes from his lyrics such as "I miss you more than life" from the song "Ghost".