for happier, healthier cities
Congratulations to Bristol City Council, who have passed a pioneering policy to restrict advertising for high carbon and other harmful products, becoming the first UK council to restrict advertising promoting ultra-fast fashion. This policy is the culmination of several years of work by Adblock Bristol, Adfree Cities and other campaigners, and tireless efforts of council…Continue reading “The art of manipulation” – Bristol’s new ad ban targets harmful corporate influence
A new study has found a correlation between billboard advertising and liver disease. In the study, led by St James’s University Hospital, Leeds, researchers found a correlation between the placement of advertising billboards promoting alcohol and unhealthy food with hospital admissions for liver disease. According to the new research, patients admitted to hospital with serious…Continue reading New study links billboard ads with liver disease
The English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill will soon become law. The aim was to reform local government, give more powers to Mayors and enable communities to shape their local areas. It was also an opportunity to again highlight how the planning system around outdoor advertising is not fit for purpose and is having a detrimental impact on local public health. …Continue reading Devolution Bill is another missed opportunity to reform planning rules around outdoor advertising
The ‘death of the high street’ is never far from the political agenda. Recent research from Southampton University found that people feel high streets have declined more than any other part of their local area over the past decade and that this is impacting on who they will be voting for. The current government’s Pride…Continue reading Why are the government so worried about our high streets and how can restricting advertising help?
Towns and cities across the UK, including Edinburgh, Sheffield, Coventry and Hackney are banning advertising that harms our health and worsens climate change. Could your local area be next? In England, a suit of local elections will take place on 7 May 2026, with candidates vying for 5,036 council seats and six elected mayors. Local…Continue reading May elections: your chance to stop harmful advertising
For us at Adfree Cities, reducing outdoor advertising is all about creating happier, healthier communities, and giving local people – not distant corporations – more say over what their neighbourhoods look and feel like. So we are very pleased to see the government’s new Pride in Place Strategy target exactly this: putting communities in control…Continue reading Does outdoor advertising make you feel proud of your neighbourhood?