Haarlem, a city outside of Amsterdam in the northwest Netherlands, has officially passed a ban on advertising meat and products containing meat.
Haarlem, with a population of around 160,000, placed the ban because of the impact meat and meat production has on the growingly dire climate crisis. Meat ads will be banned in all public places including on billboards, screens and buses. Harleem has already placed a ban on advertising other environmentally harmful things such as petrol powered cars and flying,
“Meat is just as harmful to the environment,” says Ziggy Klazes, a GroenLinks Party councilor. “We can’t tell people there’s a climate crisis and encourage them to buy products that are part of the cause.” Klaze says that although the council passed the new law last week, it will take effect in 2024.
Clarifying the law, Ziggy Klazes, a GroenLinks Party councilor, said “we are not about what people are baking and roasting in their own kitchen; if people wanted to continue eating meat, fine.. but we can tell people there’s a climate crisis and encourage them to buy products that are part of the cause.”
“Of course, there are a lot of people who find the decision outrageous and patronizing, but there are also a lot of people who think it’s fine. It is a signal – if it is picked up nationally, that would only be very nice. There are many groups of GroenLinks who think it is a good idea and want to try it.”
