Nine major Dutch food brands commit to cutting meat from half of their recipes

Those easy back-of-the-box recipes? Nine of the most familiar brands in Dutch supermarkets have agreed to make half of the meals on their product packaging completely vegetarian or vegan at the urging of animal advocacy group Wakker Dier.

Packaged food makers Conimex, Fairtrade Original, Jumbo, Knorr, Koh Tai and Patak's will revise their packaging so that 50% of recipes leave out meat entirely; supermarket chains Plus and Jumbo will do the same. Two other brands,  Grand'Italia and Lassie, had already neared or passed the 50% vegetarian recipe milestone.

The move comes after Wakker Dier research revealed over 80% of recipes on food packaging in supermarkets — for convenient seasoning mixes and meal kits ranging from mustard soup to a one-pan leek and mushroom dish —  currently advise using meat or fish. Since many shoppers faithfully follow packaging instructions, meat-heavy recipes promote overconsumption of meat despite health guidance advising limits to reduce the risk of cancer, diabetes and stroke.