Meat consumption in Belgium: a state of affairs

We continue to eat meat en masse...

The taste remains the most important reason for choosing meat. In addition, meat is considered a nutritious food. It is an important source of proteins, vitamins and minerals. Moreover, the choice for meat has been ingrained in the eating habits of the Belgian for a very long time. 95% of respondents prefer local meat from their own country.

... but no longer every day

Only 17% of survey participants said they still eat meat every day. In 2014 this was still 24%. So, in addition to the group that never eats meat (stable at 4% for several years), there are also more and more flexitarians. They choose one or more days of the week for an alternative, but still enjoy meat on the other days. In the long term, it is therefore expected that meat consumption will decrease by 1 to 2% per year.

No negative image

Only 9% of all respondents think that meat is not part of a healthy diet. Those who choose to consume less meat do not so much choose to live a healthier life, but to break the fixed eating habits. After all, there are many more alternatives to meat in the supermarket today. Almost 1 participant in 3 says that they avoid meat on certain days because of concern for the climate and the environment.