--- description: A demonstration against the adverts is scheduled for Saturday but the posters are now set to be taken down by the end of the week title: 'Beach Body Ready' Advertisements Spark Widespread Backlash image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt7fefb2d14fdbab1f/6987ed2f2dce012d289e1876/london-ad-beach-body.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [World](/section/world/) ## World Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # 'Beach Body Ready' Advertisements Spark Widespread Backlash  by [Naina Bajekal](/author/naina-bajekal/)  ## Naina Bajekal Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Bajekal was executive editor and international editor at TIME. Apr 28, 2015 2:53 PM CUT  In this April 27, 2015 photo, a Protein World advert displayed in an underground station in London which says "Are you beach body ready?" as a petition calling for its removal gathers tens of thousands of signatures. In this April 27, 2015 photo, a Protein World advert displayed in an underground station in London which says "Are you beach body ready?" as a petition calling for its removal gathers tens of thousands of signatures.Catherine Wylie—PA Wire/Press Association Images  by [Naina Bajekal](/author/naina-bajekal/)  ## Naina Bajekal Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Bajekal was executive editor and international editor at TIME. Apr 28, 2015 2:53 PM CUT A weight-loss advertisement in the London Underground featuring a bikini-clad model has sparked a backlash, with protesters saying the company Protein World is making passersby “feel physically inferior to the unrealistic body image of the bronzed model.” More than 50,000 people have signed an online [petition](https://www.change.org/p/proteinworld-arjun-seth-remove-are-you-beach-body-ready-advertisements "undefined") calling for the posters for meal replacement supplements—which have the tagline “Are you beach body ready?”—to be removed from London tube stations and train carriages. In addition, Britain’s Advertising Standards Authority has received hundreds of complaints from people saying the ad promotes unhealthy methods of weight loss and encourages body shaming. Photos of defaced posters have gone viral on Twitter under the hashtag [#everybodysready](https://twitter.com/search?q=%23everybodysready&src=tyah "undefined") while a “Taking back the beach” [protest](https://www.facebook.com/events/1422738334699476/ "undefined") in London’s Hyde Park has been organized for Saturday. In a [statement](http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/are-you-beach-body-ready-protein-world-backlash-grows-as-thousands-sign-petition-calling-for-removal-of-body-shaming-ads-10204601.html "undefined"), Protein World said “Getting ‘beach ready’ is not a new concept…We absolutely have no intention of removing the adverts because of a minority making a lot of noise.” Arjun Seth, the CEO of Protein World, [said](http://www.channel4.com/news/beach-body-ready-ad-campaigners-are-terrorists-says-boss "undefined") that the adverts were “aspirational” and likened the campaigners to “terrorists.” A Transport for London spokesperson told TIME the advertisements were being removed on Wednesday because Protein World’s contract had ended. “The adverts were paid for for three weeks so they’re just being taken down because they’ve come to a natural end,” the spokesperson said. “It’s the natural conclusion to the end of their marketing.” ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/3837979/beach-body-ready-protest-advertisements/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/3837979/beach-body-ready-protest-advertisements/"},"headline":"'Beach Body Ready' Advertisements Spark Widespread Backlash","datePublished":"2015-04-28T14:53:46.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-22T06:44:10.405Z","description":"The posters are set to be taken down this week","url":"https://time.com/3837979/beach-body-ready-protest-advertisements/","keywords":["United Kingdom"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt7fefb2d14fdbab1f/6987ed2f2dce012d289e1876/london-ad-beach-body.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Naina Bajekal","jobTitle":"Bajekal was executive editor and international editor at TIME.","url":"https://time.com/author/naina-bajekal/"}],"articleSection":"World","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt7fefb2d14fdbab1f/6987ed2f2dce012d289e1876/london-ad-beach-body.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"a Protein World advert displayed in an underground station in London which says \"Are you beach body ready?\" as a petition calling for its removal gathers tens of thousands of signatures.","caption":"a Protein World advert displayed in an underground station in London which says \"Are you beach body ready?\" as a petition calling for its removal gathers tens of thousands of signatures.","creditText":"Catherine Wylie—PA Wire/Press Association Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/world/","name":"World"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/3837979/beach-body-ready-protest-advertisements/","name":"'Beach Body Ready' Advertisements Spark Widespread Backlash"}}]}] ```