NETHERLANDS—Jumbo, a prominent supermarket chain in the Netherlands and Belgium, is set to end all meat promotions across its Dutch stores and online platforms in an effort to pioneer a shift in consumer dietary habits.
Scheduled to start on May 27, 2024, the initiative will mark Jumbo as the first supermarket chain to actively encourage the adoption of more sustainable, plant-based protein options by eliminating price promotions on fresh beef, pork, and chicken.
The move comes in the wake of Amsterdam becoming the first EU capital to endorse the Plant-Based Treaty. This treaty was put in place to tackle the world’s climate emergency by prioritizing sustainable food systems.
Its fundamental principles include abandoning practices that contribute to the deterioration of ecosystems such as animal agriculture and advocating for sustainable plant-based diets.
Jumbo’s decision is also a part of its plan to rebalance the protein composition of its offerings by targeting a 50% plant-based and 50% animal-protein product ratio by 2025. By 2030, Jumbo aims to further shift this balance to 60% plant-based proteins, aligning with recommendations from the Health Council of the Netherlands.
Ton van Veen, Jumbo’s CEO, emphasized the significance of this move, stating, “By stopping meat promotions, we are taking an important step toward our contribution to the protein transition from animal to more plant-based food.”
“We realize that acceleration is necessary and are, therefore, the first in the market to have taken this step.”
The supermarket chain has used this strategy before, and it worked for them; In 2023, Jumbo increased their own brand meat substitutes’ sales by 15% after lowering their prices to match those of their meat equivalents.
Van Veen emphasized that Jumbo’s efforts toward a sustainable protein transition are collaborative, stating, “We don’t contribute to the transition alone. That is why we remain committed to further making the meat chain more sustainable together with our chain partners.”
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