This advert pretty much sums up everything that I despise about how we treat and value women's bodies. pic.twitter.com/PBZNyn8qop — Hannah Atkinson (@hatkinson_) April 12, 2015

If you’re a regular traveller on the London Underground, you might just recognise this striking advert for nutrition store Protein World.

The giant poster features toned Australian model Renee Sommerfield, alongside the question ‘Are you beach body ready?’.

But despite the prominence of the campaign, it’s been slammed on social media by body image campaigners and feminists, who have denounced the poster as ‘sexist’ and accused it of promoting unrealistic body ideals.

Women of London, we're BLAZING in our no-to-#BodyShaming glory. Time to take back the body narrative. #EachBodysReady pic.twitter.com/j4Rc2a56tE — Ayala Maurer-Prager (@A_MaurerPrager) April 26, 2015

And some critics have even defaced the posters, scrawling messages of body positivity across the images.


We love London. Fuck patriarchy. pic.twitter.com/bDeET7pzdO — The Vagenda Team (@VagendaMagazine) April 22, 2015

Now, bloggers Fiona Longmuir and Tara Costello, who took this bikini-clad snap in front of the advert, are arranging a huge protest called ‘Taking back the beach’.



https://twitter.com/Catstello/status/590862713833717761?lang=en

They’re encouraging men and women of all sizes to meet up in Hyde Park on May 4, to replicate the snap.

Despite the controversy, Protein World have stood by the advert, and resolutely denied allegations of sexism, but accused critics of ‘fit shaming’.

@Tristan_Marris She's not photoshopped, please stop #fitshaming ✋?she is an inspirational woman. Everyone has their own aspirational goals ? — Protein World (@ProteinWorld) April 25, 2015

In a statement, a spokesman said: ‘It is a shame that in 2015 there are still a minority who aren’t focusing on celebrating those who aspire to be healthier, fitter and stronger.

‘Renee, our stunning model, falls well within what the British Government deem to be a healthy weight, based on the BMI system.

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‘We now run Britain’s largest protein facility, selling our products in over 50 countries to more than 300,000 customers. Most of them are women. How could we possibly be sexist?

‘Getting ‘beach ready’ is not a new concept. It’s a fashion that is followed by millions (admittedly not everybody as we have seen!) around the world when they look forward to their summer holiday. We absolutely have no intention of removing the adverts because of a minority making a lot of noise’.