Big brands face growing pressure to stop manipulating models’ bodies in adverts as MPs back campaign

A campaign calling on big brands to stop digitally manipulating models’ bodies in adverts has been backed by dozens of MPs.

In a bid to tackle body-confidence issues, they are urging companies not to ‘photoshop’ people’s figures.

Several major brands have already signed up to the Body Image Pledge – including Boots, Dove and PureGym.

More than 70 cross-party MPs signed a letter calling for other companies, charities and organisations to follow suit.

The campaign is led by Tory MP Dr Luke Evans, who said he saw ‘first-hand’ the negative effects of social media and ‘false advertising’ when he was a GP.

He said: ‘When the name of photo-editing software becomes a verb with a negative connotation, we know that as a society we need to correct things.

Digitally manipulating body proportions to fit someone else’s ideal has become normalised, creating a warped sense of reality.’

He said the Body Image Pledge is ‘about honesty, transparency and ensuring we aren’t creating unrealistic and unachievable standards’.

I hope this call from fellow Parliamentarians will raise awareness and cause other companies to follow suit,’ he added.

A recent Girlguiding survey found that 94 per cent of girls and women aged 11-21 think more should be done to protect young people from such pressures online.

Those that sign the pledge commit to not ‘digitally alter the proportions of body parts or shapes which appear in any of our branded imagery’, including social media.

It is backed by Tory former health secretary Jeremy Hunt, as well as Women and Equalities Committee chairman Caroline Nokes.

Senior Labour, Liberal Democrat, SNP and DUP figures have also signed a letter urging companies to sign.