Clothing, shoes and jewellery

Helpful information on the advertising rules for products or services that relate to any type of wearable garment or accessory, and the fashion industry in general.

Ads for clothing, shoes and jewellery often come under fire for promoting unhealthy body images and causing body confidence issues by showing unrealistic body types. While this is a wider societal debate and provides challenges that regulation doesn’t hold all the answers to, we do our best to ensure ads are responsible and have banned ads that don’t encourage positive body image.

The advertising rules state that ads should be prepared with a degree of social responsibility and in fashion ads, this can mean making sure models don’t appear unhealthily thin. It’s also important in the fashion industry to make sure children are protected and we have strict rules on protecting children from sexualised images and being the object of sexualisation themselves.

Images that feature suggestive or sexualised imagery such as children in heavy make-up or provocative poses are likely to fall foul of our rules. Advertisers should be aware these rules apply to models that look under the age of 16 even if they are in fact older.

Other symbols of youth, such as school uniforms, are also almost certainly unacceptable if used in a sexual context.

Another problem area for ads relating to clothing, shoes and jewellery is hidden charges such as delivery or costs for returning goods. Advertisers, especially those whose sales are largely or exclusively via the Internet, often offer goods at prices that exclude delivery charges. This is only acceptable under the advertising rules if the customer can collect the product themselves, say from a warehouse or retail outlet.

Advertisers should also avoid using definitive claims such as "FREE DELIVERY WHEN SPENDING OVER £200" and "FREE DELIVERY ON ALL ORDERS" if additional delivery charges apply to some postcodes.

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Latest rulings

Geox SpA
- Upheld
- Television
- 24 January 2018
A TV ad for Geox SpA, a shoe retailer, seen on the Disney Junior Plus channel on 11 August 2017, featured a voice-over stating, “With the purchase of a pair of Geox, you’ll get Geox XLight”. Children were shown holding four miniature Geox shoes on keyrings which contained lights (XLights), followed by two of the dev...
Moss Bros Group Plc
- Upheld
- Internet (on own site), Point of sale
- 20 December 2017
A website ad and a point of sale promotion for Moss Bros:
a. The website www.moss.co.uk, seen on 21 August 2017, and
b. The point of sale promotion, seen on 24 August 2017, both showed a model wearing a three piece suit. Text in both stated "Suit plus extra trouser & 2 shirts £139".
Supergroup Internet Ltd t/a Superdry
- Upheld
- Internet (social networking)
- 20 December 2017
A Facebook post for Superdry, dated 28 October 2017, included text which stated, “This is the jacket that gives you a different view ft. Nightscape”. The post included a short video of the free runner Nightscape, also known as Harry Gallagher, walking outdoors, along a high-up exposed steel support beam at night, h...
JD Sports Fashion plc t/a Millet Sports
- Upheld
- Internet (on own site)
- 13 December 2017
Two ads seen on www.milletsports.co.uk in July and August 2017:
a. A product listing for a tennis racket bag stated “Was £30.00 [crossed out] Now £6.00 Save 80%”.
b. A product listing for tennis racket grips stated “Was £60.00 Now £37.00 (Save 38%).

View all rulings

Clothing, shoes and jewellery

Helpful information on the advertising rules for products or services that relate to any type of wearable garment or accessory, and the fashion industry in general.

Latest news

Sexualisation of children: perfume and underwear ads

Latest rulings

Geox SpA

Moss Bros Group Plc

Supergroup Internet Ltd t/a Superdry

JD Sports Fashion plc t/a Millet Sports

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