Car adverts to show climate impact

The Government has agreed to change its advertising guidelines on cars.

This follows a threat of legal action from Friends of the Earth and the Alliance Against Urban 4x4s.

Cars in a street

Adverts for cars must now show carbon dioxide emissions

European law requires that all promotional material must include easily readable information on fuel economy and carbon dioxide emissions.

Until now Government guidance has exempted 'primarily graphical' adverts, like billboard signs.

This has been an easy way for adverts to avoid showing information about the car's CO2 emissions.

Friends of the Earth lawyers, acting for the Alliance, wrote to the Department for Transport (DfT).

They warned that the guidelines were unlawful and threatened judicial review proceedings.

The DfT admitted that it had been wrongly interpreting the EU Directive. The Government will now amend their guidance.

This means that all future billboards advertising cars will need to show clear information about their carbon dioxide emissions.

Main image © Friends of the Earth

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Last modified: November 2008