National Meat-Free Week was officially kicked off on Monday with the opening of the pop-up store at Utrecht Central Station by alderman Lot van Hooijdonk. This location at the Netherlands’ central transport hub forms the beating heart of the campaign and the place for consumers to go with questions and comments.

National Meat-Free Week, launched by Isabel Boerdam, can count on nationwide support. This second edition shows that it is possible: this week, the entire Netherlands is focused on eating less meat. All major supermarkets and many producers joined the initiative by offering recipe inspiration and discounts on vegetarian products. In addition, 531 restaurants are participating with a special vegetarian menu, 967 companies are giving it attention in their workplace canteens, 132 schools are using the specially developed educational package, 209 petrol stations are offering a vegetarian snack along the motorway, and 12 municipalities and 2 provinces are warmly supporting the campaign. Combined with the 50,000 registered participants (including 12 members of the House of Representatives), this represents significant growth compared with last year’s first edition. Lot van Hooijdonk, alderman of the Municipality of Utrecht, is also taking part: “The Municipality of Utrecht attaches great importance to health and sustainability and therefore wholeheartedly supports this initiative.”

The impact of a week without meat

An important argument for National Meat-Free Week is its positive impact on the climate. Boerdam: “Every adult who does not eat meat this week saves no less than 130 litres of water, the CO2 emissions equivalent to driving 76 kilometres by car, and 770 grams of animal meat. As far as I’m concerned, a day without meat is the tastiest and easiest way to do something good for the world around you. That vegetarian meal makes a real difference.”

The National Meat-Free Week Foundation calculates that 50,000 participants who have not eaten meat for a week account for the following savings:

  • 565 days of non-stop showering (6,500,000 litres)
  • 95 trips around the Earth in CO2 emissions (665,000 kilograms of CO2)
  • 7 savanna elephants’ worth of meat (38,500 kilograms of animal meat)

National Meat-Free Week’s ambitions for the future

This is the second edition of National Meat-Free Week, which is held annually in March. Boerdam explains: “Almost half of last year’s participants still eat structurally less meat thanks to the campaign. My goal is to introduce the whole of the Netherlands to vegetarian cuisine in this way, and to show that eating meat every day is not necessary. I am committed to a healthier and more sustainable balance in meat consumption in the Netherlands, and hope that the government will also embrace this issue.”