Portsmouth bans fossil fuel, single use plastic and junk food ads on council sites
Council-owned advertising in Portsmouth will no longer feature fossil fuels, single use plastics or junk food.
Portsmouth City Council’s cabinet has approved changes to its advertising and sponsorship policy, in a move it says better reflects its priorities around climate change and health.
The council already had similar restrictions in place but has strengthened them following feedback.
The authority has a number of advertising assets across the city, including in its publications, small poster sites, on parking machines, in car parks, at Park and Ride, at the Hard Interchange, and on the Big Screen in Guildhall Square.
Under the updated policy, those spaces will no longer promote products or services related to fossil fuels, petrol or diesel vehicles, single use plastics and junk food.
The council will also no longer permit sponsorship of council projects or events by non-electric car or fossil fuel companies, or sponsorships that promote single use plastics.
It added that it would prioritise “positive advertising that aligns with council priorities” when ad spaces are oversubscribed, and introduced measures to decline adverts for attractions outside of Portsmouth.
Robbie Gillett from Adfree Cities, an organisation which campaigns to reduce the harms of corporate advertising said: “The power of marketing in shaping our behaviours, our purchases and even our values and aspirations is too often overlooked.
“Just as we banned adverts for tobacco when we realised the harm caused by smoking, it’s welcome to see local restrictions on adverts for harmful and polluting products.”
Dr Kate Whitman, from the Revolution Plastics Institute at the University of Portsmouth, added: “There is strong evidence that advertising drives overconsumption and waste.
“As a Portsmouth-based research institute dedicated to reducing plastic pollution, we wholeheartedly support the council’s decision to end the promotion of single-use plastics.
“We hope more councils will follow suit, and that measures like this will encourage brands to move towards circular packaging systems, such as reuse and refill models, which can deliver significant environmental benefits.”
Lizzie Rose, a Portsmouth Green Party’s officer, welcomed the “amazing” news but urged the council to consider banning adverts promoting airlines and sport utility vehicles, adding: “Better yet, we’d rather see art and nature, not ads, in our public spaces.”