Dundee MSP supports ad ban

A DUNDEE MSP has offered her support to a campaign which is hoping to ban false weight loss adverts.

Dundee East’s Shona Robison is calling on so-called social media influencers to stop promoting products which claim to aid “speedy weight loss”.

The campaign has been set up by Empowered Women Project leader Mandy Jones.

Ms Jones set up a petition, which is close to reaching its target of signatures.

Ms Robison said social media influence on weight loss can have negative effects, particularly on young people.

She said: “I was delighted to meet with Mandy recently to d iscuss t he da nge rs of advertising products encou rag i ng rapid weight loss.

“It is deeply concerning a number of social media influencers and celebrities can be paid by companies to promote an inaccurate portrayal of healthy weight loss, often with before and after photos and supposedly after having taken the product on the same day.

“The portrayal of unrealistic body expectations, which are often perpetuated by and shared widely across social media, can have potential significant damaging effects.”