ASA bans Zara ads over ‘unhealthy thin models’, citing irresponsible imagery

Fashion brand Zara has come under criticism after the UK’s Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) banned two of its adverts for featuring models who appeared “unhealthily thin”. The advertisements, which included a carousel of clothing images, were previously available on Zara’s website and app

One banned advert showed a model wearing a short white dress, in which shadows were said to make her legs appear “noticeably thin”. The ASA also noted that the model’s body appeared “out of proportion” due to the positioning of her elbows and upper arms. A slicked-back bun hairstyle was said to contribute to a “gaunt” appearance. The second advert, which promoted a shirt, was criticised for making the model’s “protruding” collarbones a “focal feature”.

Zara was urged to make sure that all future imagery is "prepared responsibly" after the ASA declared the advertisements "irresponsible" and mandated that they not be used again in their current form. The brand stated that both models had medical certificates confirming their good health, and that only “very minor lighting and colour edits” had been made, though all of the flagged images have since been removed.

According to Zara, it complies with the 2007 UK Model Health Inquiry report, Fashioning a Healthy Future, which suggests that models present medical documentation of their wellbeing from physicians qualified to identify eating disorders.

This ruling follows similar ASA decisions against retailers such as Marks & Spencer in July 2025 and Next earlier this year, over adverts found to promote unhealthy body imagery. The prohibitions have rekindled discussions about how fashion advertising shapes body ideals and how to strike a balance between aesthetics and public health obligations.