ASA news and archive

Watchdog bans Marks & Spencer ad over ‘unheathily’ thin model

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) in the UK has banned an advertisement by Marks & Spencer for featuring an “unhealthily thin” model. Four complainants raised issues with four ads featured across the retailer’s website, app and an email, questioning whether they were “socially irresponsible”. The imagery addressed, seen in April and May...

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UK watchdog calls out Mango for featuring ‘unhealthily thin’ model

A product listing by Spanish retailer Mango has been banned by a UK watchdog for featuring an “unhealthily thin” model which it deemed “irresponsible”. The action was taken by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), which was responding to a complainant who made the allegations and called for the ad to be banned. The complaint was in relation...

Fashion

ASA reverses decision on FKA Twigs’ Calvin Klein ad

Following monumental backlash at its decision to ban the ad, the UK’s Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has said that it has reversed its opinion that a Calvin Klein campaign featuring FKA Twigs was “sexually explicit”. As such, the watchdog has revoked its ban on the ad after what it said was “careful thought” that led to the conclusion...

Fashion

A Calvin Klein ad featuring FKA Twigs is banned

A Calvin Klein advertisement featuring British singer and performance artist FKA Twigs has been banned following complaints about its "overly sexualized" content. The poster displayed FKA Twigs in a denim shirt drawn halfway around her body, revealing a portion of her buttocks and half of one breast, accompanied by the text "Calvins or nothing."...

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Rimmel ad banned for ‘playing on girls’ insecurities’

A Facebook advertisement for Rimmel London has been banned by a UK watchdog for its part in playing on “young girls’ insecurities”, a concern that had been raised by two complainants who came forward in regards to the ad’s content. According to the allegations, the back-to-school advertisement, seen on September 9, 2023, implied young girls were...

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Why should the fashion industry pay attention to climate change litigation and upcoming legislative proposals on environmental claims

Brussels - In recent years, many NGOs and citizens brought legal action against governments in the EU and multinationals for either failing to sufficiently reduce their Greenhouse gas (“GHG”) emissions (so-called “climate change litigation”) or for misleading consumers when making environmental or sustainability claims. Written by Lucas Falco...

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ASA bans PrettyLittleThing ad for ‘socially irresponsible’ images

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has announced that it has banned an ad by PrettyLittleThing which it said could be considered as sexualising a minor. The ruling concerned an ad campaign featuring Travis Barker’s 16-year-old daughter and brand ambassador Alabama Barker, who can be seen in what the ASA claimed are sexually suggestive...

Fashion

Majority of Instagram ads not labelled correctly by brands and influencers

The grey area of advertising on Instagram remains much too broad, with just 35 percent of ads clearly labelled by influencers and brands. A new report by the ASA, British Advertising Standards Authority, finds influencers not sticking to the rules with too much content not disclosed as advertising. In September last year, the ASA undertook a...

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Pretty Little Thing advert banned for being 'overly sexualized'

An advertisement by fast fashion retailer Pretty Little Thing has been banned for being offensive and overly sexualized. The campaign, which features scantily dressed women wearing exposing lingerie, was shown in a YouTube advertisement but banned by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) for depicting women as sex objects. According to the...

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Fashion

Boohoo faux fur jumper found to contain real fur

Online retailer Boohoo has been condemned by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) for selling a faux fur pom pom jumper that was found to contain real fur, which it states was “misleading” to consumers. The UK advertising watchdog upheld complaints by Humane Society International (HSI) UK, and ruled that the advert for the jumper on the...