(qlmbusinessnews.com . Fri 14th Feb, 2025) London, UK —
Next Ad Banned for ‘Unhealthily Thin' Model Appearance
Leicester-based fashion retailer Next has had an advertisement pulled by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) after concerns were raised that it portrayed a model as being “unhealthily thin.” The ASA upheld a complaint, stating that the pose and camera angle in the ad, which featured leggings, unduly emphasised the model's slimness, creating an “irresponsible” impression.
While Next contests the ruling, asserting the model, who is 5'9″, possesses a “healthy and toned physique,” the ASA remained firm. They acknowledged that other images of the model did not raise the same concerns and that her face did not appear gaunt, nor did her arms display protruding bones. However, the watchdog concluded that the specific advertisement's composition placed undue focus on the thinness of her legs.
Next explained that the pose was chosen to demonstrate the fit of the leggings and that internal checks were made to ensure the model's health was not a concern. They also confirmed that only minor digital alterations were made to the leggings themselves and did not affect the model's body shape.
The ASA ruling stipulated that the advert cannot be shown again in its current form and that Next must ensure future advertising images are “prepared responsibly and did not portray models as being unhealthily thin.”
The decision arrives amid growing scrutiny of the fashion industry's impact on body image and mental health. Fashion journalist Victoria Moss noted a possible return to the use of very thin models, particularly in high fashion, and voiced concerns about the rise in eating disorders and the influence of weight loss drugs.
“You do wonder how it got through,” Moss commented. “Next are usually very commercial, their models are very ‘girl-next-door'. This model has ‘the look' of a model,” she said, adding however that it was “important not to stigmatise either way”.
The ASA has previously taken action on similar grounds, banning a Warehouse advert in 2023 for depicting a model in a way that appeared “very thin”. The ruling highlights ongoing tensions within the industry regarding representation and the potential impact of advertising on societal perceptions of body image. Editorial director of British Vogue previously told reporters the fashion industry “should be concerned” by a recent trend towards a return of skinnier models. Chioma Nnadi suggested the change, a departure from recent progress in body diversity, had been partly fuelled by the rise in popularity of weightloss drugs like Ozempic.
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