Amsterdam has banned public advertisements for meat and fossil fuel products, becoming the world’s first capital city to do so, and the rule has been in force since 1 May 2026. [1]
The ban removes adverts for burgers, petrol cars and airlines from billboards, tram shelters and metro stations across the Dutch capital. It also covers public advertising for meat products and fossil fuel-related goods and services such as petrol and diesel cars, flights and cruises. [1]
City officials say the policy is meant to bring public advertising into line with Amsterdam’s environmental goals and curb impulse buying of meat and fossil-heavy travel. The local government wants Amsterdam to be carbon neutral by 2050 and also aims to halve residents’ meat consumption by that year. [1]
The impact on ad spending is likely to be limited. Meat made up about 0.1% of outdoor advertising spend in Amsterdam, while fossil fuel products accounted for about 4%. [1]
Supporters in city politics have backed the ban as part of wider climate policy. Anneke Veenhoff of the GreenLeft Party said, "The climate crisis is very urgent. I mean, if you want to be leading in climate policies and you rent out your walls to exactly the opposite, then what are you doing? Most people don't understand why the municipality should make money out of renting our public space with something that we are actively having policies against." [1]
Anke Bakker, Amsterdam group leader for the Party for the Animals, said, "Everybody can just make their own decisions, but actually we are trying to get the big companies not to tell us all the time what we need to eat and buy. In a way, we're giving people more freedom because they can make their own choice, right?" [1]
The ban took effect on 1 May 2026, and Amsterdam's public advertising spaces are now free of the barred meat and fossil fuel promotions. [1]
