The Dutch dare to be more plant-based

The sixth edition of the Dutch Week Without Meat & Dairy took place from March 6-12, 2023. The results show that the annual campaign is a trusted basis for many Dutch people to dare to try new recipes and products. As many as 1 in 6 Dutch people (17%) used the campaign to pull themselves out of their comfort zone [1].

The number of Dutch people who have seen or heard of the campaign has grown to a solid 61% since last year. With that, every year the campaign contributes not only to an increase in the consumption of plant-based alternatives, but also to a decrease in the sale of animal meat and dairy: for example, this year during the campaign week as much as 6.4% less meat and 3.6% less dairy was sold than in an average week [2] .

A next step towards more plant-based

After years of inspiring Dutch people to eat less meat, Week Without Meat & Dairy sees the focus shift to dairy: in fact, 38% more plant-based dairy substitutes were sold during the campaign week. This is a firmer growth than last year. While eight in ten participants plan to eat less or no meat at all even after the campaign week, a similar 77% of participants say they plan to consume less or no dairy in the future.

A third of those who did not eat any dairy at all during the Week Without Meat & Dairy even plan not to do so in the future. That's a larger group than in 2022 [3]. In addition to a shift in focus, we also see that other target groups feel attracted to the campaign: the greatest increase in sales of meat and dairy substitutes is in fact visible in the North and South of the Netherlands, two regions that participated less prominently during previous campaign years.

Campaign with support

This year's campaign was supported by as many as 69 partners. Thanks in part to the efforts of these partners, awareness was raised during the Week about the positive impact of eating less meat and dairy on the climate. Consumers were inspired in an accessible way with recipes and tips, including through a recipe magazine, social media and inspiration on the website.

Not only in the Netherlands is there still much to be gained in terms of appealing to new target groups, the campaign now also forms a stable basis for further rollout in Europe.

Weekzondervlees.nl

[1] Based on the research results of 2023 conducted by Blauw Research. 
[2] Based on Circana's impact research on sales of meat and dairy substitutes during National Week Without Meat & Dairy 2023 
[3] Based on 2022 research results conducted by Blauw Research