Dutch City Becomes World’s First To Ban Public Meat Advertisements

Imagine a world with no burger or pizza advertisements… wait, it’s happening for real in the Dutch city of Haarlem, which will become the world’s first to ban meat advertisements in public spaces. 

This comes as the locale, located to the west of Amsterdam, wants to reduce consumption and carbon emissions caused by the eating of meat. The ban will come into effect from 2024.

According to The Guardian, advertisements featuring meat products will not be allowed on buses, shelters, and screens in public places—though, expectedly, not everyone is too pleased about the new rule. 

As per BBC, those in the meat industry felt the authorities were “going too far” in deciding for people what was best for time, with a right-wing party even calling it an “unacceptable violation of entrepreneurial freedom.” 

Despite the protests, Haarlem may actually be onto something with its new legislation, considering that the United Nations cites livestock as being responsible for over 14% of all man-made greenhouse gas emissions. 

Other subjects that are banned from public marketing campaigns include aviation, fossil fuels, and cars running on fossil fuel engines. 

[via The Guardian and BBC, cover image via Slasta20 | Dreamstime.com]