Adfree Cities is calling for an end to the advertising of meat, dairy and eggs in the UK, claiming that such ads are ‘misleading to the public’.
The campaign, titled ‘End Meat Advertising’, accuses those industries of hiding the cruel and environmentally destructive reality of how animal products are produced.
Supporting the campaign, Adfree Cities has published a report exploring the nine advertising tactics used by the meat, dairy and egg industries to promote false narratives about how their products are produced.
‘The Cows Aren’t Laughing’, focuses on how the industries, ‘saturate’ public spaces with ads, ‘normalising’ the consumption of such products.
Other ‘misleading’ tactics noted by Adfree Cities, include ‘humane washing‘ – the impression that conditions on an intensive farms are better for animals than they actually are – and greenwashing.
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The campaign and report follow in the wake of new statistics that show the majority of animal agriculture in the UK can be classed as ‘intensive farming’.
In addition, animal-based food were found to be responsible for 57% of greenhouse gas emission from food production.
The new proposed ban comes amid similar calls for further advertising restrictions. Earlier this month, the Green Party voted to ban ‘High Carbon Advertising’.
While the motion has not yet fully outlined just what sectors will be categorised as ‘high carbon advertisers’, the political party stated the immediate ban would include adverts promoting goods, products and services that are carbon intensive.
Individual brands have also shown their support for further ad regulations. Also earlier this month, plant-based milk alternative brand, Oatly called for ‘climate labelling’ to encourage more transparency within the dairy advertising sector.
