Zara adverts featuring “gaunt” and “protruding” models banned by UK watchdog amid growing scrutiny of body image in fashion
Zara adverts featuring “gaunt” and “protruding” models banned by UK watchdog amid growing scrutiny of body image in fashion
Two advertisements by fashion retailer Zara have been banned by the UK’s Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) for depicting models deemed to appear “unhealthily thin.” The regulator ruled that the ads, which appeared on Zara’s website and app, were “irresponsible” and should not appear again in their current form.
The ASA said one image, advertising a short dress, showed a model whose legs appeared “noticeably thin” due to shadows and a slicked-back hairstyle that made her look “gaunt.” The positioning of her arms and elbows contributed to what the regulator called an “out of proportion” appearance.
A second banned image, used to promote a low-cut shirt, was found to place emphasis on the model’s “protruding collarbones,” making them a “focal feature” of the advert.
While Zara removed all four images under review, only two were formally banned. The other two ads were found not to breach advertising rules. Zara stated it had not received any direct complaints about the content and insisted the images had only undergone minor lighting and color edits.
In its response to the ASA, the retailer emphasised that both models in the banned ads had received medical certificates confirming they were in good health at the time of the shoot. Zara said it adhered to the UK Model Health Inquiry’s2007 report Fashioning a Healthy Future, specifically its third recommendation, that models should provide health certification from doctors trained to recognise eating disorders.
Nonetheless, the ASA concluded that the presentation and styling choices in the adverts contributed to an image of unhealthy thinness, sending a potentially harmful message to consumers. It reminded Zara of its obligation to ensure that future advertising is “prepared with a sense of responsibility.”
This isn’t the first time fashion ads have been sanctioned in the UK this year. In July, a Marks & Spencer advert was banned for a model whose pose and clothing including “large pointed shoes” made her legs appear excessively slim. The ASA said the image was “irresponsible.”
Earlier in 2024, Next also had an advert pulled for a model wearing blue skinny jeans. The ASA ruled that camera angles and styling deliberately emphasised the thinness of her legs.
Next disagreed with the decision, arguing that the model, though slim, had a “healthy and toned physique.”
The debate has sparked wider questions among the public, including whether adverts showing models who appear unhealthily overweight should be subject to the same scrutiny. The ASA has not yet publicly addressed that aspect.
As pressure mounts on fashion brands to represent more diverse and realistic body types, the ASA’s latest rulings reinforce a growing regulatory push to ensure responsible portrayals of body image in advertising.
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