Exploring Dutch municipal advertising restrictions on unhealthy and unsustainable products

Purpose: 

This study examined the perspectives of policy officials affiliated with Dutch municipalities exploring advertisement restrictions on unhealthy and unsustainable products in public outdoor spaces. 

Methods: 

In this qualitative study, Dutch municipal policy officials were interviewed in person or online via semi-structured interviews in autumn 2024. Interviews covered the content of proposed restrictions, the municipality's policy phase, key stakeholders, barriers, facilitators, and policy goals. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Analysis was based on a thematic content analysis. 

Results: 

We interviewed 18 policy officials from 13 Dutch municipalities. They indicated that advertisement restrictions were often initiated by left-wing council members, driven by the combination of a momentum (e.g., commitment to a healthy and green future), a favourable political climate (e.g., demand for restrictions from local political parties), and a policy window (e.g., revising municipality advertisement policies). They indicated that the development, implementation and long-term viability of advertisement restrictions depended on policy consistency (e.g., establishing definitions of products to restrict), managing the risks to policy implementation (e.g., financial losses following reduced advertisement revenue) and practical barriers (e.g., existing tenders). Some policy officials doubted the impact of these restrictions on consumer behaviours, but speculated that their signalling effect could affect public support for similar policies. 

Conclusion: 

Political will, momentum and an opening policy window allowed for the development and sometimes implementation of advertisement restrictions. Future research should explore wider stakeholder support for these policies, how to effectively mitigate perceived risks associated with their implementation, and their long-term impact on consumer behaviours.