Body Positivity: Brits Tired of Airbrushing and Two Thirds Demand more 'Normal' Body Representation - Readly Survey Reveals

LONDON, July 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Weight loss drugs, extreme workouts and protein rich diets are being well documented on social media and shaping body ideals, yet 68 percent of Brits are in support of body positivity, believing in a positive and 'real' view of the body, regardless of age, skin color, gender and physical abilities, reveals new research. 

Beauty is not a size zero concept

Almost half of Brits (45 percent) would like to see a more diverse range of body types represented among public figures such as actors, athletes, beauty ambassadors, music artists and fashion icons showed the research by Readly digital magazine and newspaper app.

When it comes to natural beauty versus retouching, 60 percent of respondents said that all images should be completely natural, whilst 33 percent believe that minor retouching is fine as long as it doesn't alter the overall look.

The most popular public figures to influence perception of identity, diversity and inclusion are actors (59%), music artists (40%) and fashion icons (34%). TV presenters (31%), athletes (24%) and politicians (25%) were also cited as the main people to influence opinions on body image.

The research of 2,000 adults by Readly also examined personal perceptions on appearance and body image and showed that one in five (19%) people have ongoing struggles with body image and acceptance. A third (33%) of Brits said they are completely satisfied with their physical appearance whilst 42 percent say they feel good about their body in principle, but are not happy with their appearance every day.

Magazine covers: more than just images

Readly, the app with over 8,000 titles on its platform, analysed a total of 353 images published on magazine covers from 2018 to 2024, highlighting that the share of the 'average' body size increased from 0.55% in 2018 to 4.7% in 2024. Plus sizes, on the other hand, are completely absent in recent years.

"Covers are more than just images; they shape our perception of who is considered beautiful, successful and visible. The fact that we are seeing the first signs of more body diversity in magazines despite the Ozempic trend is encouraging, but we are still at the beginning of a societal shift," says Marie-Sophie von Bibra, Managing Director at Readly.

Going back to the old ideals?

Whilst Readly's cover analysis shows progress towards greater body diversity, a countertrend has also been observed: in fashion and pop culture magazines, ultra-thin body types are making a comeback, with the return to the 'chic heroin' of the 90s. This development highlights how essential visible diversity is in impacting public perception on body ideals.

"A change in attitudes towards the body and 'ideals' is happening but the survey results show there is some way to go before diversity and inclusion is the norm. The numbers speak for themselves: people are looking for more authenticity and representation, not only on social media, but also in traditional media formats such as magazines. It is essential that we continue to build on the good work done to present more diversity to readers on magazine front covers and throughout the media," concludes Marie-Sophie von Bibra.

For more details contact: kate.tegelaars@readly.com or 07879 818 711 

About Readly Survey and Cover Analytics

The research was conducted by Ipsos on behalf of Readly via an online survey in March 2025. 1,000 participants in the UK were surveyed. Comparative data from Sweden and Germany is also available.

The study includes 353 magazine covers from 2018 and 2024, analyzing individuals visible on the front pages. Bodies were classified as straight-size, mid-size, or plus-size through visual evaluation.

Readly is the European leader in the digital magazine subscription category. The company offers a digital subscription service where customers have unlimited access to 8,000 national and international journals, all in one app and for a fixed monthly fee. Readly has subscribers in 50 countries and content available in 17 different languages. In partnership with around 1,000 publishers worldwide, Readly is digitizing the newspaper and magazine industry. For more information: https://corporate.readly.com and www.readly.com

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com.

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