Food industry: replacing meat with healthy alternatives
It is time for the industry to take responsibility for reducing global meat production!
The global animal welfare organisation FOUR PAWS has published a new report as part of the «Atlas Challenge», calling on companies in the food industry to reduce their meat offerings and promote plant-based alternatives as well as innovative meat substitute products.
Delivery services should incorporate meat reduction into their Corporate Social Responsibility strategies, make it easier to find plant-based alternatives, and encourage restaurant partners to offer more meat-free dishes. Of the 14 leading online delivery services worldwide that FOUR PAWS contacted, only five — JUST EAT, Deliveroo, Delivery Hero, Foodora and TakeAway — participated in the survey.
In the ranking included in the report, the majority of the 14 companies achieved a low to average score. Only one delivery service – JUST EAT – performed well.
While most delivery services have developed current strategies for climate and environmental protection, FOUR PAWS notes that no company yet has written policies on meat reduction. “A clear focus on meat reduction benefits both the climate and the environment. In times of climate crisis, most food ordering platforms are investing in bicycles and eco-friendly packaging — yet they ignore the fact that intensive livestock farming in particular has enormously negative impacts on animals and the environment. We hope that the positive initiatives already in place at some companies, such as foodpanda in Singapore, will inspire others to follow suit. By signing a commitment to the FOUR PAWS Atlas Challenge, delivery services will implement concrete measures to promote animal-friendly and climate-friendly food options and practices. Our doors are open and we are happy to support the transition,” says Sonja Svensek, Head of the Nutrition Department at FOUR PAWS.
Three online delivery services also operating in Switzerland
As a first step, VIER PFOTEN contacted the 14 most popular online food ordering platforms (Deliveroo, Delivery Hero, Doordash, Foodora, foodpanda, Grub Hub, JUST EAT, Meituan Waimai, Mjam, Swiggy, TakeAway, Talabat, Uber Eats and Zomato). The delivery services were asked whether they are taking steps to reduce the amount of meat — for example by promoting plant-based dishes over meat dishes and raising awareness among restaurant partners and consumers about the importance of reducing meat consumption. Only five of the 14 companies surveyed provided insight into their activities relating to sustainable and innovative food strategies. Three of the international delivery services also operate in Switzerland: Just Eat (Eat.ch), TakeAway and Uber Eats are all highly popular here as well. VIER PFOTEN will continue to monitor the steps these delivery services take in the future and will also be taking a closer look at supermarkets, fast-food chains and food manufacturers.
The VIER PFOTEN “Atlas Challenge”
VIER PFOTEN wants to end factory farming. Industrial livestock farming not only causes immense animal suffering, but is also one of the main drivers of the global climate crisis. Billions of animals are forced to live each year in undignified conditions. They are fattened, transported and slaughtered at an industrial pace. To keep them and feed them, valuable forests are cleared, waterways polluted, soils destroyed and climate-damaging greenhouse gases released.
The aim of the new VIER PFOTEN project is to encourage the major players in the food industry — food ordering platforms, supermarkets, fast-food chains and food corporations — to reduce the supply and use of meat and instead shift toward plant-based alternatives and meat substitutes. We call on the food industry to take responsibility and develop a sustainable strategy to end the exploitation of nature and animals.
