An advert for a top from leading online fashion retailer Boohoo has been banned after it was found to be "sexually suggestive" and "harmful towards women".
The advert - which featured a model wearing the top and only thong-style bikini bottoms and trainers - was pulled after receiving complaints that it sexually objectified women.
Following a decision from the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) the advert was found to cause cause serious or widespread offence due to the model showing off skin rather than the product.
ASA made the decision to pull the advert - which first landed on the retailers website in November -after it received the complaint that it was offensive, harmful and irresponsible.
Hull Live reports that the images included a rear view that showed her kneeling, another showed her sitting on the ground with her legs apart and a third was an upper-body shot that showed the model lifting the T-shirt as if to remove it and exposing the skin on her stomach and side.
The retailer did say that the images were part of its swimwear category and explained the reason for the images was that the model was wearing the t-shirt with the bikini.
The regulator added: “We also noted that neither the partial nudity nor the bikini bottoms were relevant to the product and that the images did not show the product as it would usually be worn.
The ASA understood that although it had been presented as part of the swimwear category, the advertised product was an oversized T-shirt and the product listing appeared as a result of searches for T-shirts or tops.
The ASA said two of the images were “sexually suggestive” while the image of the model lifting the T-shirt to expose her stomach and side emphasised her exposed skin rather than the product.
Following the decision made by ASA, the online fashion retailer made the decision to pull the advert from their website as they 'understood the importance of the issues being raised.'
A Boohoo Group spokesman said: “We are disappointed by the findings of this ruling because we pride ourselves in our inclusive, body positive imagery.
“Our marketing reflects the vibrant and confident culture of our brand, and is not designed to intentionally cause offence.
“We removed the associated images from our website when we received details of the complaint from the ASA.”
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