M&S ad banned over model’s ‘unhealthy’ appearance
The watchdog found that the ad breached the CAP Code rule on social responsibility and ordered Marks and Spencer not to use it again in its current form
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A Marks and Spencer advertisement has been banned after the UK’s advertising watchdog ruled that it portrayed a model as “unhealthily thin”.
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) upheld complaints from four members of the public over an image shown on the retailer’s app in April and May 2025. The image featured a female model wearing slim fit trousers and a white top, standing with one hand in her pocket and the other holding a bag.
The ASA said the model’s visible collar bones, slim frame and a camera angle that made her head appear out of proportion gave the impression she was unhealthily thin.
It concluded that the advert breached the UK Code of Non-broadcast Advertising and Direct and Promotional Marketing (CAP Code) rule on social responsibility.
The regulator said: “We considered that the pose of the model and the choice of clothing meant the ad gave the impression that the model was unhealthily thin.”
Marks and Spencer was ordered not to use the advert again in its current form.
Three other adverts, a website, a second app page and an email, featured images of a different model wearing a pink polka dot dress. While complainants raised similar concerns, the ASA stated that the second model appeared proportionate and did not look “gaunt” or “underweight”.
According to Marks and Spencer, both models were size 8, and that the clothing advertised represented a range of sizes from 8 to 24.
It said: “We take concerns about the depiction of body image in our ads very seriously. The model’s pose was selected as a relaxed and natural one, with the neckline of the dress depicted to show its aesthetic appeal.
“Neither element was intended to make the model’s collar bones appear prominent and their appearance was only incidental. Similarly, the camera angle had been chosen to best depict the product and the wider holiday setting and had not been chosen to exaggerate the model’s proportions.”
The company added that all models were selected with regard to health and wellbeing, and that the images had since been amended in response to the complaints.
The ASA concluded: “The ad must not appear again in the form complained about. We told Marks and Spencer plc to ensure that the images in their ads were prepared responsibly and did not portray models as being unhealthily thin.”
