Government amends guidelines on car advertising as EC looks to strengthen laws
Fri 20 June 2008
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The Department for Transport has changed its guidance on car advertising following a review of its recommendations on CO2 emissions in promotional information. Car adverts on billboards and in magazines must now have CO2 emissions prominently displayed. The change comes following the threat of legal action by the Alliance Against Urban 4x4s and Friends of the Earth concerning the interpretation of a European Directive.
The DfT had previously interpreted EU Directive 99/94/EC, and its reference to 'promotional literature', as applicable to brochures, letters or other material with 'significant textual content'. Posters and some print ads, which were primarily 'graphical', were excluded.
The Vehicle Certification Agency will now advise: 'The Regulations define "promotional literature" as "all printed matter used in the marketing, advertising and promotion of a new passenger car...". We are of the view that this definition does include material which is largely graphical, with limited textual content (perhaps containing only the model name and an advertising slogan). We therefore consider that street advertisements are subject to the requirements of the regulations.'
The DfT says that advertisers should 'amend existing advertising as soon as reasonably possible'.
Blake Ludwig of the Alliance Against Urban 4x4s, said : "From now on, it won't be enough to woo consumers with a sleek and sexy image of a car in billboard ads – car advertisers will need to give real and readable facts about the car's fuel economy and environmental impact. With rising fuel costs and a growing awareness about climate change, this information is crucially important for people to make greener and cheaper choices of vehicle.
"In order to cut emissions from cars, we need both strong regulation on advertising and also strong regulation that forces car manufacturers to make more efficient cars. Today's change in the advertising rules will help encourage car-makers to build more efficient vehicles, something they have so far been very slow to do."
The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders issued a statement in response to the VCA's changed guidance: "Vehicle manufacturers will seek to comply with the latest change in advertising regulations within the timeframe set by the revised DfT and VCA guidelines. Vehicle manufacturers already make detailed CO2 information available in a variety of formats at point of sale and in advertisements."
Meanwhile, the European Commission is to investigate seven countries for failing to ensure fuel consumption figures are prominently displayed in car advertising, following a formal complaint today by environmental groups.
Friends of the Earth Europe, together with a coalition of environment organisations,is accusing Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Slovenia and Spain of failing to implement the European car labelling directive (1999/94/EC).
The official proceedings follow hundreds of complaints about car advertisements which breach the directive submitted by citizens across Europe as part of the 'Advertise CO2' campaign.
Countries continuing to ignore the requirements of the car labelling directive could face legal action in the European Court of Justice.
The European Commission has also launched an on-line consultation (deadline 28 July) about the 1999 Directive which the Commission admits is "not working as well as it could and needs to be amended". The Commission says that a revision of the laws on advertising could be an important "flanking measure" to support the 'Cars and CO2' regulatory proposals.
For access to the consultation, see the associated link.
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