The amount of meat and fish Flemish people eat has hardly fallen over the last decade a new government report into the "protein shift" in Flanders shows. In 2014, the Flemish got about 39 per cent of their protein from plant-based food and the remaining 61 per cent from animal-based food. By 2023, the figures have hardly changed: 41 per cent for plant-based food and 59 per cent for animal-based . Researchers, though, are cautiously optimistic.
Slow switch to veggie diet in Flanders: 'Meat culture is still deeply ingrained in our diet'
Colin Clapson
Published:
Improving the ratio of animal and plant proteins in the Flemish diet is one of the objectives of the "protein shift on our plates", which is part of the Flemish government's Green Deal. By 2030, the ratio should be 60 per cent vegetable proteins and 40 animal proteins. That’s not only better for the environment, but also for your health.
But we are still a long way from achieving that protein shift. In 2023, Flemish people ate an average of 59 per cent animal proteins and 41 per cent vegetable ones. There’s little improvement on 2014. Back then, the ratio was 61 per cent versus 39 per cent.
Nevertheless, Kristof Rubens, policy advisor at the environment department, is cautiously positive about the results. "We are indeed still far from our target, but the evolution is going in the right direction. Today more people are aware of the need for more plant-based food than in 2014. Plant-based products have also improved and supply has increased."
For the first time the report also provides insights on flexitarians, and that is where Rubens believes there is great potential. "Our figures show that flexitarians have already moved quite far towards the 60-40 ratio. On top of that, this group makes up some 43% of the Flemish population."
This is also a target group that it is interesting to focus on, says Rubens. "A large part of the Flemish population no longer eats meat or fish every day. And that's smart, because out of health concerns we also prefer to eat more plant-based meals. A good approach is to evolve step by step towards a half-and-half diet: choose a plant-based meal half the week."
A flexitarian is a person who does not eat meat or fish one or more times a week but does not completely eliminate it. A flexitarian usually does eat milk, dairy products and eggs.
"The idea is that not everyone should completely stop eating animal protein. Everyone is free to eat what they want. But if we want to improve the ratio and thus reduce our environmental impact, we should choose plant-based meals more often."
More tofu and veggie burgers
No major change has yet been detected in our purchasing habits either. Between 2016 and 2022, the ratio between what we put in our shopping baskets in terms of animal and vegetable proteins remained relatively stable.
Nevertheless, Rubens says here too trends are noticeable. "Especially when we look at core protein products like tofu and veggie burgers, we see a strong increase (9 per cent)." We also bought 1.9 per cent less meat and fish. That seems little. "Proportionally, that is indeed not the big shift, but it is a positive signal."
Devoted to meat
The protein shift from animal to plant products is happening more slowly than researchers had hoped. "Meat culture is still deeply embedded in our diet," Rubens says. "We still often think that we have only had a good meal when there was a lot and there was a piece of meat on our plate. Changing that mindset is not easy."
However, not everyone is equally enthusiastic about the switch to more plant-based food either. Last summer there was criticism when it was announced that there would be more vegetarian stalls at the Festival of Ghent.
Still, even here Rubens sees positive developments. "If I look at our own company restaurant, I see that there has been a big increase in the selection and the taste of the plant-based dishes has improved!"