Plant-based diets gain traction in the EU but culture and economy still shape food choices

EU member states are increasingly integrating climate change concerns into their dietary guidelines, but economic and cultural differences among countries continue to stand in the way of an EU-wide consensus on sustainable and healthy diets. 

Last week, Austria became the latest EU country to update its dietary guidelines, incorporating climate impact and introducing separate recommendations for vegetarians. 

“Current developments, especially the food system as a driver of climate change, require an expansion of the Austrian nutritional recommendations to include climate and health parameters,” said a statement published by the Austrian Ministry of Social Affairs, Health and Consumers on 25 July.   

Vienna is not alone in seeking to balance sustainability with health when helping citizens navigate food options, as Germany, Denmark, the Netherlands, Spain and Sweden have made similar moves in recent years.  

Their approach is in line with that of the World Health Organisation (WHO), whose director-general, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, called for a shift to “more plant-based diets” at the COP28 UN Climate Change Conference in Dubai last December. 

We are what we eat 

According to the Rome-based Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), over 100 countries have developed national dietary guidelines to promote healthy eating patterns. 

All EU nations have issued such documents, but they vary in their take on sustainability and product consumption, often influenced by local food cultures and traditions. 

“What we eat has a lot to do not only with our culture and gastronomy but also with the society and economy in which we live,” Manuel Franco, a doctor and epidemiologist at the University of Alcalá (Spain) and the Johns Hopkins University (United States), said in an interview with Euractiv. 

A good example is the varying recommendations on fish consumption across Europe. 

While Austria’s updated guidelines suggest only one serving per week, Spain – the EU’s largest producer of fish – calls for at least three. 

Franco said drafting dietary guidelines involves a “tension” between different parameters, such as the economy, health, and sustainability, leading to political decisions that may favour one aspect over another. 

For instance, asking Spaniards to do with less fish for sustainability reasons would not be acceptable “either culturally or economically,” Franco noted. 

Alcohol is another area where guidelines vary. Greece’s latest recommendations, from 2017, endorsed a “Mediterranean diet” that can include daily wine consumption “in moderation”.  

“Sometimes decisions are made only by considering health (…), sometimes culture and gastronomy, and not science,” said the epidemiologist. 

More – or less – plant-based 

A common trend in revised dietary guidelines across the EU is a stronger emphasis on plant-based options at the expense of meat and dairy products.

According to Franco, efforts to reduce animal product intake is “a huge step forward” from a health and environmental perspective.  

Austria’s revised recommendations advise limiting meat and fish to once a week, with an optional extra portion of either. This equates to 32.25 grams (gr) of meat per day – about three chicken nuggets per day. 

Finland, France and Poland recommend twice this amount. 

Germany, like Austria, updated its guidelines in March to strongly favour plant-based foods. The message is clear: When it comes to meat and sausages, “less is more”.  

Similarly, in 2015, the Netherlands recommended eating less “or no” meat and provided tips on becoming a vegetarian. 

While the Dutch highlighted the sustainability of plant-based alternatives compared to meat and dairy, Italy took a more cautious approach in its 2018 guidelines.  

Rome opted for “a few animal products”, noting that these are “still necessary” to avoid nutritional deficiencies. 

Sweden and Denmark’s guidelines, from 2015 and 2021 respectively, also called on citizens to cut back on meat. 

However, Stockholm pointed to trade-offs when reducing the consumption of dairy products. 

“Butter has more of an impact on the environment than oils, but at the same time it can help bring about a rich agricultural landscape and biodiversity,” the guidelines stated.  

Guidelines and society 

Franco warned that as dietary guidelines evolve, it is crucial to ensure that society follows suit. He said investment in public procurement, especially school canteens, is the low-hanging fruit to bring healthy and sustainable diets closer to citizens. 

The environmental NGO WWF Europe, which praised Austria’s initiative, also called for more public measures to encourage environment-friendly diets. The organisation suggested practical steps, such as price cuts for plant-based products and improving labelling on animal welfare conditions. 

“Anyone who only relies on raising awareness will fail in this task. Politicians must face up to their responsibility instead of just outsourcing it to people,” the WWF said in a press release. 

Franco highlighted the role of social justice in sustainability, emphasising that the best food options should be accessible to all citizens, regardless of their economic and social status. 

“Diets and diet-related diseases in our countries today are still rooted in inequality and respond to a social gradient,” he noted. 

[Edited by Zoran Radosavljevic]

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