French automobile industry to promote alternative mobility solutions – Government mandate in favour of sustainable transport

At the start of 2022, the French government decided that, in future, automobile manufacturers will have to promote alternative mobility solutions in their ads. The policy will come into effect on the 1st of March. We take a closer look at what it might look like in action.

Some still consider the car to be their only option. Be it due to laziness, ignorance, bad infrastructure or just tradition steeped in history. That’s all set to change in France: the automobile industry’s previously one-sided advertising campaigns will have to promote alternative ways to get around. In the past, you might have heard the sound of an engine, doors unlocking or happy kids on the back bench of a car; you would have been given performance data and improvements over previous models. Whether it’s print, television, radio, billboards, sponsored sporting events or any other medium, the government have made 3 standard recommendations to replace these scenes:

“For short trips, prioritise walking or cycling.”

“For day-to-day errands and commuting, use public transport.”

“Consider carsharing.”

In addition, advertisers are asked to make use of the #SeDeplacerMoinsPolluer hashtag (literally: move more, pollute less). Not fulfilling these requirements carries a penalty of up to € 50,000. The recommendations are as sensible as they are banal. However, it could be enough to open the eyes of a large share of the population, getting them to think seriously about the alternatives at their disposal. After all, France has a highly developed public transport infrastructure and perfectly maintained bike paths, as we found out in issue #27 of E-MOUNTAINBIKE in “City Escape Paris”.

Bus, metro or bike? Car manufacturers must draw attention to alternatives.

The fact that France has always been progressive in its approach to the mobility revolution was made clear when it prohibited short inland flights. However, the French government’s intervention in the ads of one of the most influential sectors has taken things to another level. Of course, we hope this measure will prove effective, getting more people on bikes or other sustainable transport solutions, and we’re very excited to accompany the developments surrounding the European mobility revolution as they unfold. As always, we’ll keep you posted.

Words: Julian Schwede Photos: Robin Schmitt