Almost half of the UK population is concerned about the depiction of women and girls in ads, according to new research from the Advertising Standards Association (ASA).

The survey, conducted by YouGov, found 45% of respondents were concerned about ads that include idealised body images of women, while 44% were concerned about the objectification of women and girls.

Women were more likely to express concern, with 57% highlighting the issue of idealised body images of women in ads, compared to 33% of men.

YouGov polled over 6,500 respondents aged 16 and over, presenting them with a list of issues and asking which ones they are concerned about. Participants were free to select multiple issues.

The results underscored long-standing criticisms of female portrayals in advertising, particularly in industries such as finance, where past research from Mannheim Business School found women are still far less likely to feature as the central figure in ads for financial services. This absence has been linked to lower financial confidence and reduced female participation in investment.

The ASA findings also reveal people from groups directly affected by certain portrayals were more likely to be concerned. For instance, 43% of respondents aged 55 and over were concerned about the adverse stereotyping of older people, compared to 29% of the general population.

Similarly, 40% of those from ethnic minority backgrounds expressed concern about the adverse stereotyping of race or ethnicity, versus 35% across the UK.

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In terms of gender, women were more likely than men to be concerned about all the issues raised, including those relating to the depiction of men and boys in ads. More than a third (36%) of women were concerned about the depiction of men and boys, compared to 29% of men.

Similarly, while 25% of men were concerned about the objectification of men and boys, this rises to 32% among women.

Beyond gender, 38% of respondents were concerned by violent or distressing images, while 35% were worried about racial or ethnic stereotypes.

Women’s portrayal in app advertising

In a separate study, the ASA’s investigation of in-app advertising found out of 5,923 assessed ads, eight contained harmful depictions of women.

These included harmful stereotypes, portrayals of women as sexual objects, non-consensual encounters and the use of pornographic tropes

Using avatar technology – software that mimics the browsing behaviour of different age groups – the ASA monitored the ads which appeared when gaming apps were open or being used, to see how many were breaking rules.

ASA regulatory projects manager, Jessica Tye, notes that harmful portrayals of women can have “lasting effects”, especially on younger audiences.

“Whilst we’re glad to see that most advertisers are doing the right thing, the small number who aren’t must take responsibility,” she says.