Extinction Rebellion activists blocked three entrances to the Viangro plant in Anderlecht on Saturday to protest “greenwashing” by the food company, Belga News Agency reports.
The blockade, which began at 06:00, is the third consecutive action by Extinction Rebellion. The group held similar protests on Friday at an industrial farm and an abattoir in Flanders.
The ecological group has been targeting Viangro because it feels the food company’s communication on sustainability and animal well-being is misleading.
"Viangro is selling products that are disastrous, both for the well-being of the animals and for the environment, but boasts of transporting them in so-called ecological containers,” Sarah, an Extinction Rebellion activist, explained. “In actual fact, the means of transport are just as disastrous. Their communication is pure greenwashing, without talking of the health scandals.”
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The protest is also meant to highlight Viangro’s financial situation. The food company has reportedly been registering heavy annual losses and is said to be on the brink of bankruptcy. Given its importance as an employer in the Belgian capital, the activists fear Brussels Region might rush to its aid.