According to the UK Green Party website the Green Party will try to achieve the following if they gain power at the 2010 general election:
CMS680 Advertising has great impact on the world in which we live. The Green perspective is that in the context of deregulated commercial freedom and unsustainable consumption by citizens, advertising is in need of some restraint. Whilst we recognise the freedom of individuals to make informed choices for themselves, regulation is needed where the impact of consumption is to the detriment of society. Regulators have a particular responsibility towards children and the vulnerable.
CMS681 Advertising to Children. Unsustainable economic growth is highly influenced by a culture of consumption. This culture is currently engendered in children and young people by advertising, particularly on television. Children must be protected from unscrupulous marketing and aggressive advertising. A Green government would strengthen regulation of advertising in media that may be viewed by children, and of products intended for consumption by children, to ensure that they are factual and informative and not manipulative.
CMS682 As specified in DU401 we will introduce a complete ban on promotion of tobacco and alcohol products through advertising or sponsorship.
CMS683 Environmental Advertising. Products which are harmful to the environment, for example in terms of greenhouse gas emissions through use, or embodied carbon in their manufacture or distribution, will be required to carry a prominent warning in all advertising. See also policies TR550, TR552 and TR553 on air travel advertising
CMS684 Social Advertising. The costs associated with advertising space create an imbalance between commercial and non-commercial organisations in their ability to influence the public. We will investigate means to provide access to all advertising media for groups seeking to redress a perceived imbalance.
CMS685 Political Advertising. Political Parties are not fundamentally commercial organisations, and need continuing access to media channels in order to help maintain a citizenry aware of the political issues and involved in the democratic process. The system of Party Political Broadcasts should be extended to allow registered political parties some free access to media space outside election periods and in print as well as broadcast media. Access between elections would be dependent on the party exceeding a given threshold of votes cast in the last round of proportional representation elections, in line with the rules regarding eligibility for state funding of political parties (see PA307)
CMS686 The aggregate and cumulative effect of advertising taken altogether is to increase overall demand and foster a materialist and consumption driven culture which is not sustainable. The overall volume of advertising that promotes unsustainable consumption will be controlled and gradually reduced. This control will be exercised by OFCOM, who may also exercise it over forms of advertising not otherwise within their control. They will take into account, amongst other things: a) the extent to which advertising is straightforward and factual, and provides useful information to consumers, or promotes worthwhile causes or activities, as against unsustainable consumption, b) the need, given the importance of advertising revenues, to maintain and encourage diversity within the media and freedom of editorial expression, c) an overall target for the volume of advertising provided by the government to OFCOM annually in the light of economic circumstances d) the need to avoid unnecessary regulation of small scale or local activities that promote the development of the local economy or community.
I would be interested to hear both positive and negative views on UK Green Party’s Advertising policies in the comments below?