CBS: In 2023, 25% of main meals were vegetarian

In 2023, a quarter of all main meals eaten in the Netherlands were vegetarian, as revealed by the CBS Health Survey/Lifestyle Monitor 2023. This shift in dietary preferences indicates a growing trend towards plant-based diets. This trend has implications for the Dutch food industry, affecting both consumption patterns and food production.

The survey also shows that 31% of Dutch people never consume a vegetarian meal, and a small group of 3% eat exclusively vegetarian. Notably, only 5% of the population identify themselves as strict vegetarians, pescatarians, or vegans. The remainder, a significant 43%, adopt a flexitarian diet, opting for vegetarian meals one or two days a week.

Demographic differences in eating patterns

Age and gender play a significant role in food choices. A clear trend is seen in the 25 to 35 age group, where 32% eat vegetarian at least three times a week. Women are more likely than men to choose a vegetarian, pescatarian, or flexitarian lifestyle (31 versus 23 percent), with the biggest difference in the 18 to 25-year-old age group.

Climate considerations and protein transition

Concern for the climate is increasingly cited as the primary reason for eating less meat, a shift from 2020 when health was the main reason. The cost of meat is also playing a more significant role in this choice.

According to the RIVM Food Consumption Survey, on average, 43 percent of protein consumption per person comes from plant-based proteins. This underscores the shift towards a more plant-based diet.

Cbs.nl