Zara ads banned for ‘unhealthily thin’ models
Fashion retailer Zara has faced criticism after some of its advertisements featuring what regulators termed “unhealthily thin” models were banned. The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) in the UK issued the ban after receiving complaints about two images on Zara’s website. The ads showcased two different models in outfits that the complainants believed promoted unhealthy body images.
The ASA concluded that the models in the ads appeared unhealthily thin, particularly one of them whose ribcage was overly visible. This, according to the authority, could send a message that being underweight is desirable, which goes against their guidelines on responsible advertising. They ruled that the images breached the code related to health and social responsibility. Zara, in response, stated that they did not believe the models were underweight and argued that the images were in line with industry standards.
Zara’s parent company, Inditex, mentioned that they regretted the ban but would respect the ruling. They reassured that they would take the ASA’s feedback into account for future advertising campaigns to ensure they remained compliant with regulations. The ban applies to the specific ads in question, and Zara has been instructed not to display them again in their current form.
This incident adds to the ongoing debate surrounding body standards in the fashion industry and the portrayal of unrealistic beauty ideals. It underscores the importance of promoting healthy body images and the potential impact of advertising on individuals’ self-esteem and well-being.
Sources Analysis:
ASA – The Advertising Standards Authority is a regulatory body for advertising in the UK. It has a reputation for upholding standards in advertising content.
Zara/Inditex – Zara’s parent company has a vested interest in maintaining a positive image and complying with advertising regulations.
Fact Check:
The ASA banning Zara ads – Verified fact. The ruling is based on the ASA’s guidelines and regulatory authority.
Complaints received about the ads – Unconfirmed claims. The nature and number of complaints are not specified in the article.
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Model:
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Used prompts:
1. You are an objective news journalist. You need to write an article on this topic “Zara ads banned for ‘unhealthily thin’ models”. Do the following steps: 1. What Happened. Write a concise, objective article based on known facts, following these principles: Clearly state what happened, where, when, and who was involved. Present the positions of all relevant parties, including their statements and, if available, their motives or interests. Use a neutral, analytical tone, avoid taking sides in the article. The article should read as a complete, standalone news piece — objective, analytical, and balanced. Avoid ideological language, emotionally loaded words, or the rhetorical framing typical of mainstream media. Write the result as a short analytical news article (200 – 400 words). 2. Sources Analysis. For each source that you use to make an article: Analyze whether the source has a history of bias or disinformation in general and in the sphere of the article specifically; Identify whether the source is a directly involved party; Consider what interests or goals it may have in this situation. Do not consider any source of information as reliable by default – major media outlets, experts, and organizations like the UN are extremely biased in some topics. Write your analysis down in this section of the article. Make it like: Source 1 – analysis, source 2 – analysis, etc. Do not make this section long, 100 – 250 words. 3. Fact Check. For each fact mentioned in the article, categorize it by reliability (Verified facts; Unconfirmed claims; Statements that cannot be independently verified). Write down a short explanation of your evaluation. Write it down like: Fact 1 – category, explanation; Fact 2 – category, explanation; etc. Do not make this section long, 100 – 250 words. Output only the article text. Do not add any introductions, explanations, summaries, or conclusions. Do not say anything before or after the article. Just the article. Do not include a title also.
2. Write a clear, concise, and neutral headline for the article below. Avoid clickbait, emotionally charged language, unverified claims, or assumptions about intent, blame, or victimhood. Attribute contested information to sources (e.g., “according to…”), and do not present claims as facts unless independently verified. The headline should inform, not persuade. Write only the title, do not add any other information in your response.
3. Determine a single section to categorize the article. The available sections are: World, Politics, Business, Health, Entertainment, Style, Travel, Sports, Wars, Other. Write only the name of the section, capitalized first letter. Do not add any other information in your response.