In an effort to reduce meat consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, the Dutch city of Haarlem has decided to ban all meat advertisements from public spaces. Haarlem, a city in the Netherlands, will enforce the ban from 2024, making it the first city in the world to do so. It is important to note that 95% of people in the Netherlands eat meat. However, the Dutch are becoming more and more aware of the harm caused by meat consumption to the environment.
Study reveals that the meat industry accounts for nearly 60% of all greenhouse gas emissions. Various pieces of research also tell us that beef production contributes the highest to greenhouse gas emissions.
Ziggy Klazes, the councilor of Groenlinks who drafted the motion to ban meat advertisements said, “Meat is very harmful to the environment, we cannot tell people that there’s a climate crisis and encourage them to buy products that are a part of it.”
The meat sector opposes ban on meat advertisements
Meat sellers of the country are strongly opposing the ban on meat advertisements arguing that the ban will impact their business and that it will also affect the economy. However, the government of Haarlem has yet not decided if sustainably produced meat will be included in the ad ban or not.
The Netherlands heading toward becoming a meat-free nation?
Over the past few years, the Netherlands has witnessed a sharp decline in meat consumption. In 2020, Dutch consumers lowered their meat consumption by 1.9 kilograms, the sharpest decline in 15 years. According to Wageningen University data, per capita consumption in the Netherlands was 75.9 kg in 2020. The drop was most noticeable in the three main meat categories: chicken (0.8kg), pork (0.5kg), and beef (0.4kg). For the first time since the time period between 2010-2016, meat consumption declined in 2020. The reduction of about 2kg in one year is nearly as much as the total reduction between 2010 and 2016.
Plant-based meat substitutes gaining preference
Another notable development in the Dutch market is the steady increase in sales of plant-based meat alternatives. However, the size of this market is and will stay relatively small (4%). As a result, the popularity of plant-based meat replacements appears to have a limited impact on consumer demand for meat at the moment.
