A tax on meat to be investigated?

Ministers in the Netherlands are keen for the country to shift to a more environmentally friendly diet, agreeing to investigate whether or not a tax on meat would reduce consumption.

Farms Minister Henk Staghouwer told MPs that it was necessary to look at whether implementing such a tax was possible before going to all the trouble of investigating whether such a tax would achieve the desired aims.

An evaluation of the government’s food policy between 2016 and 2020 made several recommendations, one of which was to look at what role government policy has on consumption of specific products.

The ruling coalition have already agreed to implement higher taxes on soft drinks, adding a sugar tax and scrapping taxes on fruit and vegetables.

Their belief is this will help to make a healthy diet more affordable and the food production more sustainable.

Ministers said that the government would aim to reduce the current 60 percent animal intake down to 50 per cent and to increase the current 40 percent vegetable protein intake to a 50 percent, to create a 50:50 balance.

Staghouwer said: “It is an ambitious target and requires the population at large to change their eating patterns”

He continued saying that supermarkets, the hospitality industry and catering companies should also show responsibility and make it easier for consumers to choose sustainable and healthy foods.

Research last year showed some 80 per cent of the products promoted in supermarkets do not contribute to a healthy diet.

A number of the coalition partners have already shown their support for such a tax, including opposition parties from both the left and the right.

The government is discussing the possibility of a tax, have reaffirmed their commitment to the official five-food type strategy (schijf van vijf), which outlines the ideal daily food intake.

In addition to considering whether a tax on meat would reduce consumption, the government is also looking at other options including how food waste can be reduced.

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