Culture 19h 37m left
Do major retailers overrepresent ethnic diversity in their adverts?
No UK rule sets quotas or limits for ethnic representation in adverts. The advertising codes only ban ads that cause serious or widespread offence, including through harmful racial stereotypes, and CAP guidance on this was issued in 2023. Studies disagree on what the numbers show: a 2018 Lloyds study found minority representation in ads rose from 12% to 25%, while a 2022 ASA study found most minority respondents felt under-represented. A claim that black people appear in 51% of ads against about 4% of the population has been challenged as a misreading. John Lewis's 2026 Christmas advert, which features a mixed-race family, has drawn backlash this week.
6 Opinions
You do notice so many mixed race families in adverts, but they’re trying to appeal to all so it doesn’t matter
I can't say I've noticed.
It's not something I notice and there are far too many more important things going on. I live in a very mixed community where people work together. My bus driver might be african, my pharmisist Chinese, my shop assistant Pakistani, my work colleague Ukranian. So what?
Retailers aren't pushing a secret quota or agenda. They are private businesses using basic market research to appeal to the widest possible demographic. They are simply reflecting what modern Britain actually looks like in order to sell products.
Ohh its been going on for years …. donkeys years. There cannot be many left alive that remember a cartoon series called the Nig Nogs where this clever bunch of kids were involved in many and various escapades and always came off best in any sport or other confrontation … and we cheered them on … yeah !!