Activists nuisance for pig sympathy campaign
An advertising campaign on the promotion of visitable pig houses has aroused public discussion in the Netherlands.
The campaign, instigated by the ‘Varkens in Zicht’ foundation (‘Pigs in Sight’), is meant to promote the pig industry, which has been under attack from several Dutch animal activist organisations.
The Reclame Code Commissie, a Dutch watchdog on advertising, this week ruled that the information that was given in the advertising campaign’s website is ‘misleading’.
Visits
The Pigs in Sight foundation, launched by several Dutch pig producers, aims to grow the number of producers that allow members of the public to pay visits to pig production houses without prior arrangements – and to look at the way the animals are held from behind a window.
These houses on show are fully equipped according to future EU standards – without gestation crates, for instance. The foundation hopes to create more transparency by this campaign.
At the moment, in the Netherlands ten visitable pig houses can be found.
Suggestion
The advertising watchdog said that the website suggested that all pig houses in the Netherlands are similar to those on public display.
In the same hearing, the comission judged that a radio ad promoting a special ‘Weekend of the Pig’ was admissible.
Several Dutch agricultural organisations said to be angry with the watchdog’s opinion.
The case was started by the Dutch ‘Party for the Animals’, currently having two seats in Parliament.
Related websites:
• Party for the Animals
• Varkens in Zicht (in Dutch)
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