Minister Staghouwer wants to encourage consumers to make healthy and sustainable choices, for example by buying meat substitutes. The cabinet is investigating the possibility of introducing levies on meat, De Telegraaf reported.
balance
The Minister of Agriculture also wants to oblige shops and supermarkets to offer a ‘minimum percentage of sustainable and/or organic food’ on their shelves. Staghouwer wants to shift the balance of consumption in animal and vegetable proteins. This ratio is now 60/40 and it should be 50/50 by 2030. It is being investigated whether the meat tax can initiate this shift. This shift is necessary to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and reduce the number of animals kept for meat consumption.
Increased prices
The majority of MPs react negatively to Staghouwer’s plans, De Telegraaf reports. VVD MP Thom van Campen wants to see research into other possibilities to encourage consumers to become more sustainable. PVV MP Alexander Kops is furious about this plan. “Due to the increased food prices, many people can barely afford their groceries. A meat tax is really too bizarre for words.”
croquettes
Caroline van der Plas of BBB thinks Staghouwer’s argument to start living a healthier life is ‘cool’. “If they really want better health, he might as well promote croquettes instead of meat substitutes. Those things are full of salt and fat and additives and have the same nutritional value as croquettes. Let them reduce the VAT on fruit and vegetables to 0 percent, then you really do something about people’s health.”
Sustainability
D66 does welcome the plan. MP Tjeerd de Groot calls it a good plan. “Healthy and sustainable, just do it,” he says. Because the meat becomes more expensive and therefore less is bought, this will lead to less greenhouse gases and less food waste.
Comments on Twitter
According to Pietrick, meat substitutes are not everything. According to her, the cabinet could better focus on high-quality meat.
Karin sees the meat tax as coercion.
According to Vicki, humans should eat meat.
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