Six in ten Dutch want seasonal and local food

More than six in ten Dutch people believe we should strictly eat seasonally to reduce environmental impact. This desire is highlighted in the latest National Choice Stress Monitor by market research firm MSI Consultants. The nostalgia for the past is evident in the preference for more unconventional fruits and vegetables. 76 percent of respondents advocate for supermarkets to offer more misshapen or blemished products to combat food waste.

Protein transition and technological innovations

Dutch consumers support the shift towards more plant-based proteins, such as legumes, instead of animal proteins. The primary conditions for this transition are that the taste remains unaffected and the alternative product is at least as healthy. Nearly half of the Dutch want to consume more meat substitutes but currently refrain due to the presence of unhealthy additives in these products. Costs are not the main barrier; only 12 percent cite a stable price as the key condition to support the protein transition.

Genetically modified food and 3D-printed food are clearly less popular. Only sixteen percent have a positive view of genetically modified food, and just nine percent find 3D-printed food appealing. Cultured meat, grown from animal cells without the need for a whole animal, is considered tasty by fifteen percent of respondents. Hybrid meat and enriched meat, which contain plant-based components and added beef protein respectively, also receive little support, with only twelve percent finding these appealing.

Back to the past: seasonal eating and local production

Many Dutch people long for the days when we ate traditional winter dishes in the winter and cherries in the summer. Six in ten Dutch people want to return to strict seasonal eating to reduce environmental impact. This sentiment is particularly strong among those over 56, with 67 percent valuing it highly. Additionally, there is significant support for locally produced food within a fifty-kilometer radius.

There is also substantial enthusiasm for fruits and vegetables with an unusual shape, known as "buitenbeentjes." 76 percent of respondents believe that supermarkets should offer more of these to reduce food waste. Regardless of appearance, the current price of fruits and vegetables hinders consumption. If these products were 25 percent cheaper, 64 percent of respondents would eat more fruits and vegetables.

About the National Choice Stress Monitor
This recurring, representative study surveys over 1,000 Dutch people aged 18 and older, examining a different theme each time against the backdrop of financially uncertain times. Previous studies have explored the choice between branded and private-label groceries, summer vacation plans, working post-retirement, and most recently, climate damage.

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