Foodwatch accuses supermarkets of primarily advertising meat. Commitments by corporations to a plant-based diet are misleading.
Supermarket chains such as Aldi Nord, Lidl and Rewe are publicly committed to a low-meat diet, but primarily promote meat. “One Evaluation of advertising brochures in January – also known in the industry as ‘Veganuary’ – shows: special offers and discount campaigns mostly apply to meat and dairy products,” the consumer organization Foodwatch reported on Wednesday. The companies officially supported a healthier and more environmentally friendly diet according to the “Planetary Health Diet”.
Animal-based foods emit more greenhouse gases per kilogram than plant-based foods. Keeping animals in agriculture is also controversial for ethical reasons. In addition, people in Germany eat more meat than experts consider acceptable from a health perspective.
That is why it is well received by large parts of the public that Lidl, for example, states that the company is guided by the design of its range “on the nutritional principles of the Planetary Health Diet“This menu from the scientific EAT-Lancet Commission consists of around 80 percent plant-based foods. Aldi Nord, Rewe and Edeka also speak positively about them.
But according to Foodwatch, plant-based foods only made up 21 percent of Lidl’s brochure advertising in the first two weeks of January. At Aldi Nord it was only 28 percent. Rewe got 44 percent, Edeka 38 percent – probably because of the “Veganuary”. Because in December these two chains only had a share of 24 and 19 percent respectively.
More advertising for plant-based foods required
Foodwatch criticized supermarket chains for “misleading consumers with their sustainability promises” and called on companies to offer more special offers and brochure advertising for plant-based products.
Rewe wrote to the taz: “We are continually expanding our range of plant-based products and promoting their visibility.” The other companies left taz’s request for comment unanswered by the time of going to press.
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