74% of Dutch people in favour of a meat tax in 2021; meat lobby kept it hidden

According to the National Meat Survey, presented by the Dutch meat industry association COV and others to the Dutch House of Representatives on October 15, a poll conducted among a representative group of 2,550 Dutch citizens revealed that in 2021, 74 percent of the population supported a meat tax that would result in a price increase of more than 10 percent. In addition 35 percent of the population would even accept a 20 percent price increase.

COV withheld this information until now, as they were lobbying against a meat tax in politics at the time. Many political parties supported such a tax in 2021. The overwhelming public support for TAPP Coalition's proposal for a fair meat price two years after its founding in 2019 indicates that the plan was well-known and popular. Afterward, meat prices rose by about 15-20% (impact of the war in Ukraine and inflation), leading to a decrease in meat demand in the Netherlands, but also a decline in support for a fair, higher meat price in 2024.

Meanwhile, more and more organisations include true pricing in their future visions for agriculture and food. Recent research also showed that the majority of Dutch livestock farmers (53 percent) would accept a meat tax, provided that the revenue is returned to farmers for investments in better animal welfare, similar to the German proposal from the Agriculture Ministry for a 'Tierwohl Cent'. TAPP Coalition is now investigating opportunities to develop a similar plan in the Netherlands, to support farmers and increase animal welfare standards.