While other Western European countries have significantly reduced their meat consumption over the last few years, recent data published by Statbel and Statista show that Belgians' meat-eating habits have remained unchanged.
According to the latest figures, the average Belgian consumed approximately 82 kg of meat in 2021 — a figure that is virtually identical to that of the year before, and which, remarkably, represents an almost 10% increase compared to 2019.
By contrast, a survey published last month by the Good Food Institute shows that the vast majority of citizens of the four largest European Union populations (i.e. France, Germany, Italy, and Spain) have either reduced their meat consumption over the last five years or stopped eating meat altogether.
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Although the reasons for Belgium's unique status among Western European nations remains unclear, the causes of the overall Western decline in meat consumption are well understood.
They include growing societal unease regarding environmental sustainability, the morality of factory farming, dietary concerns, and the increasing availability of plant-based meat alternatives.
