The ASA has ruled against three advertisers for promoting prescription-only medicines (POMs) advertising weight-loss medications, finding some also irresponsible for exploiting consumers’ insecurities around body image.
The ASA cracks down on ads for training courses claiming that people could achieve typical earnings or a certain lifestyle by following such advertised courses.
This article explores key topics likely to shape 2026 regulatory agenda in the advertising and marketing industry in both the UK and the EU.
The ASA has upheld a complaint that an ad for shower gel included a racial stereotype and was therefore likely to cause serious offence.
The ASA considered whether the models in four ads on Zara’s website appeared unhealthily thin. It deemed two ads irresponsible on that basis, while finding no breach in the other two. This ruling shows that “unhealthily thin” is about representation within an ad, not just a model’s size.
The ASA investigates M&S clothing ads, drawing distinction between ads when a model was considered unhealthy thin and not.
CAP reiterates that health claims for foods are only permitted if they are authorised, with recent ASA rulings underscoring the point.
The ASA rules on irresponsibly scheduled ads where they may be appealing to children. Melissa Woodfield reports.
The ASA has ruled against Henry’s Boots’ use of AI-generated ads which were held to be misleading. Josephine O’Dowd reports.
ASA publishes report on in-app ads that harmfully objectify women, which finds that ads for apps that allow sexual content may, in reflecting the sexual nature of the apps, be at particular risk of breaching the rules around offence and harm. Daisy Dowding reports.
ASA research highlights the importance of understanding youth engagement with celebrities to better protect children from gambling ads. Millie Bird reports.
The ASA considered the model appearing in the ad for denim leggings to look unhealthily thin due to her pose, camera angle and styling, which strongly emphasised the slimness of the model’s legs.
