Boohoo has been ordered by the advertising watchdog to take down images branded as “sexually suggestive”.
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) received a complaint that the images shown on the advert put out by the Manchester-based fast fashion brand of a model in an oversized T-shirt and thong-style bikini bottoms were objectifying women, and so ruled them as “offensive, harmful, and irresponsible”.
The advert included a rear view that showed the model kneeling, as well as an upper-body shot that showed the model lifting the T-shirt and exposing skin on her stomach and side.
It was decided by the ASA that the advert must not appear again in its current form.
The advertising watchdog said that while the advert was presented as part of the swimwear category, the actual advertised product was the T-shirt and the listing on the website appeared as a result of searches for T-shirts or tops.
The ASA said that in each case the staging of the shots was “sexually suggestive”, with the model shown with the T-shirt folded in ways to expose her body, instead of focusing on the product.
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“We concluded that the ad objectified and sexualised women. It was therefore irresponsible and likely to cause serious offence,” the ASA said in its ruling.
The ASA ruled the advert as “offensive, harmful, and irresponsible” / Credit: ASA
Speaking on the ASA’s ruling, a spokesperson for Boohoo Group said: “We are disappointed by the findings of this ruling because we pride ourselves in our inclusive, body positive imagery [and] 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.”
This is not the first time Boohoo has had an advert banned by the ASA either, as back in 2019, an email promotion by the brand used the phrase “send nudes” was sent out in a message to customers marketing a range of clothes coloured to resemble skin, and pictured a female model wearing a white dress and beige jacket with the words “Send nudes. Set the tone with new season hues” written across the image.
The ASA said the phrase “send nudes” was likely to be understood as referring to requests for sexual photos, and ruled it irresponsible to make light of a “potentially harmful social trend”.
Featured Image – Boohoo / ASA
News
Hundreds of staff at four Greater Manchester hospitals to strike AGAIN next week
Emily Sergeant
Another round of strikes has been called at a handful of major Greater Manchester hospitals.
Amid ongoing disputes following the first set of strikes at the end of last month, it has now been announced that more than 350 Northern Care Alliance Foundation Trust (NCA) employees – including nurses, clinical support workers and housekeepers – who are members of the union UNISON will once again walk out for three days next week.
According to the union, the dispute centres on the NCA’s use of an outside agency called NHS Professionals (NHSP) to manage overtime.
When covering staff shortages, workers are entitled to time-and-a-half pay – however in some cases, staff earn less than they would on a normal shift, and some have even been missing out on more than £80 per shift, the union added.
Operating theatre staff were previously on picket lines in June, and although an option to resolve the row was initially tabled by NCA bosses, this has now fallen through.
Hundreds of staff at four of Greater Manchester’s hospitals are set to strike next week / Credit: Stephen Andrews (via Unsplash)
This means that staff at Salford Royal Hospital, Royal Oldham Hospital, Rochdale Infirmary, and Fairfield Hospital in Bury are walking out next week on Monday 14, Tuesday 15, and Thursday 17 September.
The union’s North West regional organiser, Kevin Dolan, said the trust had given ‘no indication’ that it’s willing to re-enter negotiations, adding that operating theatre services were ‘chronically under-staffed’ and staff were choosing to work extra shifts to cover shortages.
Ahead of the August strikes, the trust declared a critical incident to help it secure extra support and keep urgent surgery running, while also announcing that some procedures would have to be postponed.
Understandably, some disruption is expected at each of the hospitals on strike days.
But Gertie Nic Philib, who is the chief people and strategy officer at the Northern Care Alliance, said that the trust will do ‘everything we can to minimise the impact on patients’ and ‘maintain high standards of care and quality at all times.’
“We also have contingency plans in place for emergency situations,” they concluded.
Featured Image – Pxhere
News
Stockport man jailed for life after kidnapping and sexually assaulting teenage girl
Emily Sergeant
A Stockport man has been sentenced to life in prison after kidnapping and sexually assaulting a teenage girl on her way home from the library.
Paul Sharpe has been sentenced to life imprisonment with an eight-year minimum term in prison after being convicted of a number of offences when subjected a teenage girl to what police called a ‘terrifying ordeal’ that lasted several hours back in May 2026.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) confirmed that the victim had been studying at Sale Library before beginning her journey home with friends at around 5:50pm and contacting her parents at 6:10pm to let them know she was on her way.
Twenty minutes later, she spoke to her boyfriend on the phone and said she was approximately five minutes away from home, but that her phone battery was about to die.
This was the last contact received from the victim that evening.
While walking along Bradgate Road in Altrincham, the victim noticed a grey Ford parked nearby and a man wearing a high-visibility jacket pressing doorbells in the area.
As she walked past, Sharpe approached her from behind, placed her in a headlock and threatened to stab her if she did not get into his vehicle.
Concerned that their daughter had not returned home, the victim’s family contacted police at 9:22pm to report her missing, and officers immediately launched an investigation to locate her.
Over the next several hours, the victim was subjected to and placed in a number of terrifying situations.
Sharpe drove the victim to several locations across Greater Manchester and Cheshire, before police located and arrested him at around 3:40am on 19 May 2026.
Following his arrested, 56-year-old Sharpe was convicted of kidnap, committing an offence with intent to commit a sexual offence, sexual assault, engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child, threats with a bladed article, and administering a noxious substance with intent to injure, annoy or aggrieve.
“This was a terrifying ordeal for a young girl who was simply making her way home,” explained Detective Inspector Karl Perry, from GMP’s Criminal Investigation Department.
“Sharpe targeted a vulnerable victim, subjected her to hours of fear and intimidation, and went on to sexually assault her.
“The victim has shown immense courage throughout the investigation and court proceedings. Through her bravery and actions, she no doubt made it harder for Sharpe to carry out whatever acts he had planned.”
Emily Sergeant -
16th February 2022 
