Over Half of Travel and Fashion Influencer Ads Fail to Clearly Disclose Paid Promotions, ASA Finds
In May 2025, the UK Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) published its 2024 Influencer Ad Disclosure report, revealing ongoing challenges in influencer compliance with advertising rules on Instagram and TikTok.
Notably, over 50% of influencer ads relating to the travel and fashion sectors were either undisclosed or inadequately disclosed, placing these sectors among the worst offenders for transparency failures.
Using an estimation based on the study findings, approximately 57% of influencer content in the UK is likely to be adequately disclosed as advertising in line with the Advertising Code. Analysis showed that one in every four pieces of content on Instagram was likely advertising, compared with one in every six pieces on TikTok. The majority of other content—three quarters on Instagram and five sixths on TikTok—was non-advertising.
Statistically, there was no significant difference in disclosure rates between platforms or content formats, with Instagram posts (58%), reels (56%), Stories (53%), and TikTok posts (60%) showing similar compliance levels.
Around one fifth of undisclosed ads made some attempt at using a label—such as “gifted,” “PR trip,” or “affiliate”—but the ASA and the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) have ruled these labels insufficient in conveying the commercial nature of the content clearly.
The ASA also tracked a sample of accounts monitored in its 2021 report, noting an improvement from 35% of ads adequately disclosed in 2021 to 49% in 2024. While this progress is encouraging and partly attributed to ongoing compliance monitoring, the overall disclosure rate remains below acceptable standards, signalling a need for continued targeted enforcement.
Across all sample groups, four out of five pieces of likely advertising content that were categorised as undisclosed or inadequately disclosed made no attempt at all to disclose their commercial intent.
The ASA plans to share its findings with influencers, brands, agencies, and social platforms such as Instagram and TikTok, and will pursue enforcement action, including sanctions, where non-compliance persists. Its AI-based monitoring system will continue to support targeted regulatory interventions.
Key ASA Report Statistics
- Approximately 57% of influencer content on Instagram and TikTok is likely to be adequately disclosed as advertising.
- One in every four pieces of Instagram content was categorised as likely advertising.
- On TikTok, one in every six pieces of content was likely advertising.
- There was no significant difference in disclosure rates between Instagram (55%) and TikTok (60%), nor among different content types.
- Around 20% of undisclosed ads made some attempt at using a label, but these were ruled inadequate by the ASA and CMA.
- Over 50% of influencer ads in the travel and fashion sectors were undisclosed or inadequately disclosed.
- From 2021 to 2024, disclosure rates for a monitored group of influencers improved from 35% to 49%, but remain below the required standards.
Growing Scrutiny Across Europe
The European Commission published a comprehensive report on influencer advertising compliance in February 2025, highlighting widespread challenges with disclosure across the region. The study found that up to 80% of influencer content failed to meet transparency standards required under EU law.
Regulators across member states have increased enforcement activity, particularly targeting sectors such as health supplements, fashion and lifestyle, where influencers frequently fail to provide clear sponsorship disclosures. One notable case saw a Polish dietary supplements company fined PLN 5 million (approximately USD 1.25 million) for instructing influencers to use vague language that did not clearly signal paid promotions.
The report also stressed the importance of consumer protection, warning that covert advertising erodes trust in digital content and undermines fair competition. Authorities across Europe are signalling a zero-tolerance approach to non-compliance, calling for clear, prominent and unambiguous disclosures in all influencer marketing.
FTC Enforcement Actions in 2025
In early 2025, the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) took significant enforcement actions against brands and influencers for failing to disclose paid endorsements. Notably, Revolve Group Inc. faced a $50 million class action lawsuit alleging that it allowed influencers to post endorsements without clear disclosures, violating the FTC Act. The lawsuit claims that consumers were misled into purchasing products they might not have otherwise bought had they known about the undisclosed relationships.
The complaint further states that shoppers, including those of influencer Daniel Negreanu and Revolve customers nationwide, believed the undisclosed endorsements were honest and uncompensated reviews. This misled consumers into paying “a premium” for products that “proved to be of a lower value than the price paid,” with plaintiffs attributing the “difference in price exclusively to the undisclosed endorsements.”
Additionally, the FTC has reiterated its position that both brands and influencers share responsibility for ensuring compliance with advertising laws. This includes the obligation to provide clear and conspicuous disclosures of any material connections, such as payments or free products, in all forms of endorsement.
Lessons for the Industry
For brands, agencies and creators operating in this increasingly scrutinised space, the key message is clear: full and unambiguous disclosure of paid content is non-negotiable. With regulators worldwide intensifying enforcement efforts, clear compliance safeguards campaign integrity and consumer confidence.
When working with creators, it is essential to stay informed on evolving rules and ensure that all sponsored content is transparently labelled. Failure to do so can result in reputational damage and regulatory penalties.
