Amsterdam removes meat and fossil fuel ads from the streets

Amsterdam has taken the unprecedented step of banning public advertising for meat and products linked to fossil fuels. From 1 May, ads for hamburgers, combustion-engine cars and air tours disappeared from billboards, bus stops and metro stations across the Dutch capital, the BBC reported.

They have been replaced in busy areas by advertisements for cultural events and museums. Local politicians say the measure is an effort to align public space with climate goals that include carbon neutrality by 2050 and a halving of meat consumption.

City officials say it makes little sense to allow advertising for products that Amsterdam is also trying to discourage through public policy. The measure does not restrict individual freedom, they argue, but reduces the pressure that large companies can exert on consumers.

Critics from the meat and tourism industries say the ban is a disproportionate interference in business. Activists, however, compare it to past restrictions on tobacco advertising.

Other Dutch cities have already introduced similar measures, and a growing number of municipalities in Europe are restricting advertising for fossil fuels. The effect on public behavior remains unclear.

(bbc, bak)