Amsterdam bans fossile-fuel and meat ads
The ban was introduced by the green party GroenLinks and the animal rights party Partij voor de Dieren. It follows the example of similar advertising bans in other Dutch cities, such as Haarlem, Nijmegen, and Utrecht. According to the city, Amsterdam is the first capital in the world to ban advertising for meat products.
From the perspective of electric mobility, however, banning advertising for fossil-fuelled products is even more significant. It concerns petrol and diesel cars, as well as flights and cruise trips.
As early as 2020, GroenLinks and other parties had attempted to remove fossil fuel advertising from Amsterdam’s cityscape. However, at the time, an outright ban was not implemented. Instead, an agreement was reached with the operator of advertising spaces in metro stations to stop displaying ads for fossil products.
The outdoor advertising ban for meat and fossil products is initially set to take effect on 1 May 2026 as part of the Algemene Plaatselijke Verordening (APV). However, deputy mayor Melanie van der Horst (D66) has already indicated that implementing the ban in May, as proposed by the city council, would be premature. She called for a ‘reasonable transition period,’ citing conflicts with existing contracts. She also warned that advertisers might take legal action if the ban were enforced as planned on 1 May.
According to van der Horst, advertising for fossil products currently accounts for 4.3% of outdoor advertising, while meat advertising makes up just 0.1%. However, the ban’s effectiveness remains uncertain, as it only applies to outdoor advertising. Advertising for combustion engine vehicles and other prohibited categories would still be permitted on television, the internet, radio, in cinemas, and in newspapers and magazines.
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