Dutch research finds plant-based food is cheaper than meat

Amsterdam - New Zealand is a country very similar to the Netherlands and new Dutch research has found plant-based meat is cheaper than animal meat in Holland.

Plant-based food is getting cheaper in New Zealand, where Air New Zealand was one of the first airlines in the world to provide began food on its long flight menus.

Meanwhile, plant food in the Netherlands was more expensive than meat early in the year. But that has all changed. Recent research has found meat had increased in cost significantly. This made vegan options cheaper per kilogram.

The findings are attributed to inflation and rising costs of raw materials, creating a price hike in meat products. Plant-based items are largely unaffected by increased supplier charges.

For some time, consumers in The Netherlands, and people in most countries around the world, have been moving away from meat products in favour of plant-based alternatives. But demand has not been addressed as a potential factor in the pricing battle.

Researchers compared meat and plant-based products within strict parameters. All items were the lowest priced options and vegan alternatives matched their animal counterparts in terms of portion size.

In total, 36 products were compared and overall findings confirmed animal meat has become more expensive than vegan meat across the board.

Cost is frequently cited as a stumbling block to turning vegan. Consumers fear spending more on products they aren’t familiar with, but the idea that plant protein always costs more than animal alternatives appears to be a misnomer.

Oxford University says the misunderstanding often stems from comparing conventional meat to specialist substitutes or surviving on takeaways.

The institution conducted research that found vegan and vegetarian diets are the most cost-effective options in high-income countries.

In the UK, a petition is urging the government there to make climate impact labels mandatory on restaurant menus.

Vegan charity Viva! started the petition after the UK experienced record-breaking temperatures of more than 40 degrees. The Met Office said the heatwave was made 10 times more likely due to the climate crisis.

Now, Viva! wants the government to help consumers understand more about how our diets impact the planet.

The meat industry contributes 14.5 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. It is also a major source of methane, which is more than 25 times as potent as carbon dioxide.

A number of climate experts have warned that a widespread switch to plant-based eating is urgently needed.