Advertising for modern, responsible consumption (own-initiative opinion)

The EESC:

• Stresses the need for the European Union (EU) to support its advertising industry, which has been hit hard by the COVID-19 crisis;
• asks the advertising industry to commit to reducing its carbon footprint in order, in accordance with EU objectives, to achieve carbon neutrality in its activities by 2050 and to reduce carbon emissions by 55%. greenhouse gases (GHGs) by 2030;
• recommends that players in the advertising sector strengthen their pro bono contribution to support the eco-responsible initiatives of players who do not have sufficient financial resources;
• recommends that the advertising sector initiate a reflection on the advertising imaginary and the associated representations. This will help ensure that advertising, rather than being an obstacle, becomes a real lever for ecological transition, allowing on factual and precise bases to highlight products contributing to the reduction of environmental impacts;
• calls for the work to strengthen European advertising regulation to combat greenwashing and misleading environmental claims to continue and aim for harmonization between EU states, and
• asks the advertising industry to increase its openness to civil society and to more frequently create opportunities for discussion with its various audiences, allowing it to evolve in line with new societal expectations.

For more information please contact the INT Section Secretariat.