The French are no strangers to adding warning labels to certain products to help better the health of their citizens. Already they have strict labeling and advertising regulations for tobacco products, and junk food has a label telling consumers to cut back on these and eat more fruits and vegetables. Now, France is introducing a caveat to car advertisements, as well, to help reduce the pollution in the country.
France Adding Caveat To Car Advertisements To Reduce Pollution
For years, French environmental groups have been lobbying for France to completely ban car advertisements. The French Government has now officially responded to these requests, though not in the form of an outright ban. Rather, they are requiring all car advertisements to have a special label or announcement encouraging people to walk, bike, use public transit, or carpool. Manufacturers must also include each vehicle’s carbon dioxide emissions class in the advertisements. These requirements will begin in March, however, by 2028, ads for the highest-polluting cars will be completely banned. (1)
The Details
So what will these advertisement additions say, exactly? The manufacturers will have three options:
- Consider carpooling
- For short trips, opt for walking or cycling
- Use public transportation for everyday trips
At the end of the message, the advertiser must add the hashtag #SeDéplacerMoinsPolluer. This translates to move with less pollution or move pollute less. The message is to be included in written form on print ads, internet ads, as well as those on television. On the radio, the advertisement must include a spoken version of the message at the end of their ad. If the manufacturers and advertisers do not comply, they can face charges of up to $56,000.
“Decarbonizing transportation does not only mean switching to an electric motor. It also means using public transportation or cycling when possible,” wrote French Ecological Transition Minister Barbara Pompili on Twitter.
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France Combats Climate Change
Previously France has set some pretty lofty goals when it comes to tackling climate change and reducing the country’s carbon emissions. Their goal was to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40% in comparison to the country’s levels in 1990 by the end of this decade. France’s High Council on Climate warned the government last summer that the country is not on track to meet this goal.
According to the European Environment Agency, emissions related to transportation make up one-quarter of the European Union’s greenhouse gas emissions. Cars are a major contributor to transportation emissions, primarily because more often than not there is only one person per vehicle. This is precisely why France is now pushing consumers to consider other, more environmentally conscious methods of transportation whenever possible. (2)
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