Germany: Tobacco advertising ban wipes out millions

The German advertising industry expects to lose around 120 million a year as a result of the ban on tobacco advertising. In the middle of last week, the Bundestag imposed a ban on tobacco advertising in the press, on the radio, on the Internet and at sporting events. According to an article in the online edition of Financial Times Deutschland, it is unlikely that the budgets will be shifted to the still permissible advertising media of cinema and posters. However, a spokesperson for the Central Association of the German Advertising Industry suspects that direct advertising at events or by post could increase. The new ban is supported by the CDU/CSU, the SPD, the Left Party and the Greens. The EU had already brought such a directive into force in the summer. However, a lawsuit by Germany against these requirements is currently pending at the European Court of Justice (see
), as there are fears of disproportionate interference with freedom of advertising. Advertising for tobacco products on radio and television has been prohibited in Germany since 1974.