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Bristol campaign calls for ban on high carbon advertising
A new campaign is calling for Bristol City Council to restrict advertising for high carbon products.
The campaign comes after Bristol, and the wider UK, emerges from one of the hottest summers on record.
In a letter to Marvin Rees, dated Tuesday, September 13, campaigners from Adblock Bristol, a volunteer-led group pushing for the removal of corporate advertising in cities, called on Bristol City Council to update its Advertising & Sponsorship Policy in order to restrict advertising for high carbon products.
is needed now More than ever
Products considered ‘high carbon’ include airlines, airports, petrol and diesel cars and fossil fuel companies.
A recent advertisement in a Bristol bus stop for Tui flights from Bristol airports is one such advertisement under scrutiny. Adblock argues these kinds of billboards are “explicitly something the Bristol City Council can take action on.”
An advertisement for Tui holidays from Bristol Airport has been criticised – photo: Adblock
Adblock argues that updating the Advertising and Sponsorship Policy would bring it in line with Bristol’s One City Climate Strategy, which supports proposals to restrict advertising for high carbon products.
The One City Climate Strategy acknowledges a need to:
“(Develop) a citywide shared understanding and commitment to responsible consumption (including lower carbon food and reduced flying), which acknowledges the generally lower impact of lower income households; and
(Create) advertising standards and restrictions to support responsible consumption.”
Robbie Gillett from Adblock Bristol originally wrote to Mayor Marvin Rees back in February. Marvin Rees responded that a Cabinet meeting was to be held, in which advertising policy would be discussed.
Despite the meeting going ahead in March 2021, a public consultation has not yet been held.
An advertisement for Shell on St Augustine’s Parade – photo: Adblock
A number of British councils have already passed motions restricting advertising for environmentally-damaging productions, including Liverpool, North Somerset and Norwich.
Outside of the UK, municipal authorities such as Sydney, Amsterdam and five other Dutch cities have already passed motions to restrict adverts in high carbon products.
Adblock says it is “concerned about the impacts of corporate advertising on our health, wellbeing, environment, climate, communities and the local economy.”
Adblock Bristol is part of the national Adfree Cities network.
Bristol24/7 has reached out to the council for comment.
Main photo: Adblock Bristol
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- First Bristol food outlet to trial ‘Carbon labelling’ on menu
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