Car ads in France will soon have to encourage more environmentally friendly travel

Joe Hernandez

January 04, 2022 / 12:37 pm

caption: An employee walks among the cars during the inauguration of a factory that will recondition used cars near Paris, on Nov. 30.

"Consider carpooling."

"For day-to-day use, take public transportation."

"For short trips, opt for walking or cycling."

Car ads in France will soon have to include these messages encouraging people to take more environmentally friendly means of transportation under a new law taking effect this year, according to media reports.

The country is trying to cut down on its carbon emissions, and the new rules beginning in March will force automakers to incorporate language similar to the warnings in ads for other products.

"Decarbonizing transport is not just switching to an electric motor," Barbara Pompili, France's ecological transition minister, said in a tweet translated from French.

"It also means using, when possible, public transport or cycling," she said.

Transportation emissions account for 25% of the European Union's greenhouse gas emissions, the European Environment Agency says.

In July France passed wide-ranging legislation to combat climate change, though environmental advocates said its provisions fell short,

The messages will be required for automotive ads in any medium, including TV commercials. Advertisers who fail to comply with the new law face a €50,000 fine — or about $56,000, The Local France reported. [Copyright 2022 NPR]