Zara onder vuur in Verenigd Koninkrijk vanwege gebruik van ‘te magere’ modellen

The British advertising regulator has requested the Spanish fashion group Zara to remove two images from its website. These were considered ‘irresponsible’ because they show models with an ‘unhealthy lean’. This is apparent from a decision published on Wednesday.

These photos, published in Carrousels coupled with product pages, “should not appear again in the form that led to the complaint,” writes the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) in its decision. The ASA requests Zara not to use images of models with an ‘unhealthy lean’.

The ASA is of the opinion that in one of the photos on which a model with an oversized shirt can be seen, a ‘focous point’ creates around the collarbone that stands out ‘visibly’. The posture of the model, ‘in combination with wearing a loose top’, also gives the ‘impression’ that her arms, shoulders and chest are ‘very thin’. The second image shows a model in a short dress, with a ‘somewhat lean’ face, a ‘visibly prominent’ collarbone and ‘particularly thin’ legs.

During the investigation, Zara indicated that he had followed the British recommendations by asking for the two models in question to ” medical certificate confirm their good health condition ‘before they were hired. “We are committed to responsible content and follow strict guidelines and checks in the selection and photography of models,” a Zara spokesperson in the United Kingdom assured Wednesday. He confirmed that the images have been removed.

In comparable cases, the ASA has already rejected images of Next and Marks & Spencer this year.