Meat consumption per capita has increased in the Netherlands for the second consecutive year according to researchers from Wageningen University & Research (WUR). The amount of meat consumed by each person per year is approximately 39 kg. 

The last time meat consumption increased over multiple years was over a decade ago, in the period 2005-2009. 

The increase in meat consumption in the Netherlands comes amid the “Plant-based Revolution,” Innova Market Insights’ second Top Trend for 2020.

The latest WUR data shows pork consumption in the Netherlands is the most popular with approximately 18.5 kg per year eaten. This is despite the growing popularity of plant-based food with meat and dairy substitutes and alternatives gaining popularity all over the world.

At 11.5 kg per person per year, chicken comes in second. Beef accounts for 8 kg of meat consumption per year. Other types of meat, such as veal, goats meat, mutton and horse meat are less popular: they collectively account for a little over 1 kg per person per year.

In 2019, the total consumption of meat and cold cuts per capita in the Netherlands rose more than 500 g higher than the amount consumed in 2018. 

The increase between 2018 and 2019 is identical to the increase between the years 2017 and 2018.

Figures for 2020 may show a different story as the meat supply chain was disrupted during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and consumers showed an increased willingness to try plant-based foods. 

What is recommended?
The official dietary recommendations in the Netherlands – the “Schrijf van Vijf” food pyramid – recommends no more than 26 kg of meat consumption per year. This translates to no more than 70 g of meat and cold cuts per day. 

Weekly, no more than 500 g of meat and cold cuts should be consumed, with not more than 300 g coming from red meat, such as cows, pigs, goats and sheep. 

While this amount is already considerably lower than the current level of meat consumption in the Netherlands, the EAT-Lancet Commission’s recommendation is even more stringent. 

The Commission recommends an additional reduction of 10 kg in comparison to the Dutch food pyramid’s recommendation, amounting to 15.5 kg per year of suggested total meat intake. 

This reduces daily meat consumption to approximately 43 g of meat per day. The amount of red meat that is consequently recommended per year is 5 kg. 

Eating meat out-of-home
The amount of meat that is consumed when people eat out and the amount of meat consumed by foreign tourists in the Netherlands have both been included in the figures. 

Particularly when people eat out, they opt for meat, according to scientific research flagged by WUR. 

For example, flexitarians who regularly enjoy a vegetarian burger at home, will often choose to eat meat when dining out. This was found in a research study involving 420 German respondents. 

A calculation example may help gain an idea of the contribution that foreign tourists make to meat consumption in the Netherlands. 

In 2019, over 51 million tourists from outside the country stayed overnight in the Netherlands. If we assume that this number of tourists ate around 150 g of meat and cold cuts per day, their collective contribution to the total amount of meat consumption was 15.5 million kg. 

Spreading this figure over more than 17 million Dutch consumers would yield approximately 1 kg of meat per person. This would count substantially toward the slight difference between an upward or downward trend in meat consumption.

The closing of restaurants and hotels across the Netherlands in 2020 at various times due to the COVID-19 pandemic may therefore contribute to a different picture in 2021 when new statistics are revealed.