Iceland’s planned Christmas advert was banned for being too political, but a petition calling for it to be shown has gained more than 680,000 signatures.

The thought-provoking advert shows the devastating impact of palm oil production on rainforests and wildlife.

The cartoon Christmas campaign depicts an orangutan crashing around a little girl’s bedroom.

A narrator explains that the ape has been left homeless as humans have destroyed his habitat to develop palm oil.

Campaign

The campaign calls for the advert to be shown on UK TV, describing the ban is an ‘injustice’.

Mark Topps, who started the petition, said: “Palm oil is a product that can be found in everything from shampoos and detergents to sandwiches and biscuits.

“It’s one of the most environmentally-damaging industries, and each day 25 orangutans are killed. It’s production wipes out rainforests and wildlife, driving animals like the orangutan into extinction.”

The campaign to allow the video to be shown has been supported by James Corden, who recently turned vegetarian. His post of the video has nearly 16 million views.

Iceland has received ‘overwhelming support’ for the ad, which has had 13 million views on the supermarket’s Facebook page and 90,000 retweets.

Law

The ad, which was originally made by Greenpeace, has been banned by Clearcast – the body which reviews TV adverts in the UK.

It was banned because it breaches a law stating that adverts are not allowed if they are “inserted by or on behalf of a body whose objects are wholly or mainly of a political nature”.

The petition, which is shown below, can be signed here.

Petition

Iceland released a Christmas advert today highlighting the devastation caused by palm oil products. It was a beautiful and important message. But the tv regulators have banned the advert, for being too political!

Palm oil is a product that can be found in everything from shampoos and detergents to sandwiches and biscuits.. It’s one of the most environmentally-damaging industries, and each day 25 orangutans are killed. It’s production wipes out rainforests and wildlife, driving animals like the orangutan into extinction.

As a father of three who thinks this ad would help educate people about how their products are killing orangutans and their homes, I feel banning this advert is an injustice.

The body that stopped the advert being broadcasted, ClearCast, say that the ad breaches it’s political rules. The ad holds an important message – one that is emotional, touching and helps to spread a message about saving the environment and so must be broadcasted. If you haven’t watched it, you can find it here. It’s so powerful.

Please sign this petition if you too believe the ban should be overturned so that this ad can be on TV screens at Christmas.

• Read: Supermarkets face a meat shortage because workers can’t face slaughtering animals any more.

What do you think of Iceland’s palm oil ad? Tell us in the comments section below!

Oli Gross

Oli’s career and personal ethical values both help shape his reporting of the diverse world of veganism. His background is in local newspaper and magazine journalism, and his work has included reporting court cases, celebrity interviews, business analysis, food and drink features and government legislation.

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