MILAN (ITALPRESS) – The protection of biodiversity also passes from airports. The European Plant Health 4 Life campaign, promoted by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the European Commission, has also reached the airports of Milan Malpensa and Milan Linate with an Out of Home campaign dedicated to the awareness of travellers about the risks related to the introduction of plants and plant products from non-EU countries. Through advertising planning in airport ports, the campaign invites passengers to pay attention to what they carry in suitcase on return from their travels, recalling that also a plant, seed or a seemingly harmless branch can hide harmful organisms that can compromise the health of plants, biodiversity and the Italian agricultural heritage. The choice of airports responds to the goal of reaching travellers at a particularly relevant time for the campaign message: that of departure or return from an international journey. The plants are in fact subject to a strong pressure due to climate change and human activities, such as trade and travel. Harmful organisms of plants can cause devastating economic and environmental losses. Xylella annoying, for example, killed millions of olive trees in the Italian region of Puglia, with cases reported in other areas of southern Europe.
The Out of Home communication thus brings the theme of plant health directly to the places where individual choices can contribute concretely to preventing the introduction of new harmful organisms in the European territory. The initiative is part of the 2026 edition of Plant Health 4 Life, the European campaign involving 33 countries with the aim of increasing awareness of citizens on the link between plant health, food safety and environmental protection. In Italy, attention is paid in particular to travellers returning from non-EU countries, invited not to bring plants, seeds, flowers, fruit, vegetables and other plant parts potentially capable of carrying harmful organisms. A simple but fundamental behaviour to help safeguard ecosystems, agricultural crops and native plant species. In Italy, the programmatic advertising campaign exceeded the initial forecasts, generating 209,966 overall impressions, compared to the planned 201.626, and reaching 72.402 people.
– photos Le Royale PR –
(ITALPRESS).
