Spain to ban advertising on fossil fuels and domestic short flights 

The Spanish government approved a draft bill that proposes the banning of the advertising of fossil fuels, as well as ads on short flights with more sustainable alternatives and of vehicles powered exclusively by fossil fuels.  

The Ministry of Consumer Affairs, promoter of the bill, wants to eliminate fear-based advertising campaigns, proposing that instead, companies offer qualitative information that allows for objective assessment of risk. The cabinet considers fear-based advertising as those campaigns that portray “extreme or unlikely scenarios” that invoke a sense of vulnerability in the audience.  

The advertising ban includes ads broadcast by companies in both the coal and oil sectors, but not the gas sectors. Advertisements for short flights that have an alternative that does not add more than two and a half hours to the trip are also included in the ban, but it only applies to domestic flights. The goal with this ban is to reduce the presence of products that contribute to greenhouse gas admissions.  

Other issues the bill focuses on include: greenwashing, ticket resales, devices with intentionally short lifespans and shrinkflation.  

The draft bill now enters the public hearing and consultation phase before returning to the cabinet and being submitted before Congress for final approval.