Weight-loss ads pulled over body image concerns

• The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has banned several adverts for prescription-only weight loss medications from companies including Chequp, SkinnyJab and MedExpress.
• The bans were issued because the adverts violated regulations prohibiting the direct promotion of prescription-only medicines to the public.
• Two of the banned campaigns, from MedExpress and Chequp, were also found to raise serious social responsibility concerns by exploiting people's insecurities about body image.
• An advert from MedExpress was deemed irresponsible for encouraging new mothers to prioritise losing “post-baby weight” with medication, despite warnings for breastfeeding individuals.
• The ASA stated that playing on body image insecurities is unacceptable and confirmed this is a priority area, with ongoing efforts to tackle irresponsible weight-loss medication advertising.

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Weight loss drug ads banned for exploiting body image insecurities