In the Netherlands, the city of Haarlem bans meat advertising – news Urix – Foreign news and documentaries

The ban on meat advertising is probably the first of its kind in the world, writes NL Times. For the approximately 160,000 inhabitants of Haarlem, the ban means that all meat advertising will be removed from the streets, bus shelters and other public places from 2024. – Meat is very harmful to the environment. We cannot tell people that there is a climate crisis going on and at the same time encourage them to buy goods that are part of this. That’s what local politician Ziggy Klazes from the environmental party GroenLinks says. Last week, his party won a majority in the city council for the proposal to refuse meat advertising. In the Dutch city of Haarlem, there will be no meat advertising to be seen in public places from 2024. The local politicians have decided that. Photo: Peter Dejong / AP Klazes believes that the time for cheap meat is over. It is no longer okay to sell a kilo of pork for a few euros. The burden on the environment is too great, he says. Whether the proposal will also apply to organic meat has not yet been decided, the BBC writes. In Norway, Grønn Ungdom proposed last year to ban meat advertising, but the parent party, the Green Party, did not get along. According to the UN, the production of meat accounts for around 14 per cent of man-made greenhouse gases. The meat industry reacts The meat industry in the Netherlands does not agree and was quick to protest. The authorities are going too far in telling people what is best for them, says a spokesperson for the meat trade association, according to the BBC. The right-wing party BVNL believes the ban is unacceptable interference with the freedom of entrepreneurs. The party believes this will have major consequences for pig farmers. – Banning advertising based on political motives is almost dictatorial, says Joey Rademaker from BVNL. Can threaten freedom of expression Another question is whether the ban is in line with freedom of expression. Law professor Herman Bröring at the University of Groningen says that the ban could violate freedom of expression and lead to lawsuits, according to the BBC. In the past, the Dutch cities of Amsterdam, The Hague and Leiden have banned the advertising of fossil goods and services. Advertisements for flights and petrol and diesel-powered cars are no longer allowed here.



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