A fashion brand in the UK has taken the unusual step of issuing a clause in its contracts for models that requires them to eat.

While many models have been on the rather thin side when modelling fashion labels – although one agency was recently regaled for its use of a plus-sized model – fashion brand Rose & Willard wants to do away with that stereotype and make sure its models actually consume food.

In a blog post on The Huffington Post UK, founder of the brand Heidy Rehman said while the company debates on whether to use professional models or non-models, if it chooses professional models there will be an eating clause included. The move comes as the UK parliament could pass a notion that models under 18 will not take to the catwalk.

“If we do opt for the former we have decided that we will include a non-negotiable contractual clause with the model agency which will state that the model must eat a meal and in our presence,” wrote Rehman.

“We will not allow her to only eat a tiny morsel and/or suggest she’ll eat later. The consequence of non-compliance will be that neither she nor her agency will be paid.

“Yes, it’s a form of nannying but we feel we have a responsibility to protect these young women from an industry which we believe can leave them exploited and puts them under pressure to starve themselves and damage their health and wellbeing.”

The reasons Rehman gives is so the hungry models don’t become “delirious” or start talking “gibberish”, with many girls feeling pressure to lose weight and believing they’ll score more work if skinnier.

The move comes at a time when much of the spotlight is on the fashion industry and the constant pressure women feel about their weight.

Just the other week a report was released saying super fit women in magazines actually squander women’s confidence about their body as the body types are often unrealistic, however many health mag editors suggested it was the rise of social media which really harmed it.