UK Regulator Orders Zara To Remove Ads Featuring ‘Unhealthily Thin’ Models

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has asked Zara to withdraw two advertisements from its UK website after concluding that the models appeared “unhealthily thin”. One Zara ad showed a model in a low-cut oversized shirt that highlighted her collarbone and made her arms look very thin, according to the ASA.

The ASA reviewed four ads flagged by a member of the public and identified two as problematic, citing visible collarbones, slim arms, and proportions that drew attention to the models’ thinness. Zara stated that the models provided medical certificates confirming good health and that the photos were minimally edited. The company removed the flagged content from its UK website following the ASA’s findings published on August 6. Zara, part of Spain’s Inditex Group, operates over 1,900 stores worldwide. The ASA stated that it would continue to monitor fashion advertising to ensure compliance with guidelines on health representation.