A vegan soup advert has been banned by the Advertising Standards Authority for “objectifying” a nude male model who appeared headless on a billboard.

       The poster for Re:Nourish soup featured a black and white photograph of the man lying naked on his side, facing the camera, with his legs slightly apart and his hand resting on his thigh.

       His face could not be seen but his chin, mouth and ear were visible at the top of the picture, while a large orange bottle of the soup was superimposed over his genitals.

       The bottom of the advert flouted the trendy credentials of the broth, with the slogan: "RE:NOURISH. #NOTHINGTOHIDE. VEGAN, FRESH SOUP AND 100% RECYCLABLE."

       The Advertising Standards Authority received a complaint and ruled that the advert cannot appear in the same form again, because it was "irresponsible" and "likely to cause serious offence to some people".

       The watchdog said in a ruling: “Taking the image, the ‘#nothingtohide’ strapline and the placement of the bottle into account, we considered that the ad was likely to have the effect of objectifying the man by using his physical features to draw attention to an unrelated product.”

       Re:Nourish soup was launched in 2019 by Nicci Clark, a former nurse. The company's website claims her broths proved to be a hit with the cast of Downton Abbey.

       The soups, made from "vitamin-packed" vegetables and "the best plant-based ingredients on earth", come in a microwavable, recyclable bottle.