Jumbo supermarkets eliminates meat promotions to facilitate transition to plant-based diets

18 Mar 2024 --- Jumbo, a retailer in the Netherlands and Belgium, will cease all meat promotions across its Dutch stores and online platforms starting May 27, 2024. This initiative marks Jumbo as the first supermarket chain to actively shift consumer focus toward more sustainable, plant-based protein options by eliminating price promotions on fresh beef, pork, and chicken.

This decision is a part of Jumbo’s broader strategy to adjust the protein content of its offerings, targeting a balance of 50% plant-based and 50% animal protein products by 2025. By 2030, the supermarket chain aims to further tilt this balance toward 60% plant-based proteins, which is in line with guidelines suggested by the Health Council of the Netherlands.

Ton van Veen, CEO of Jumbo, says: “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.” 

“We did not rush into achieving the protein transition goal by 2025. Analyzes have shown that achieving this interim goal can only be achieved by stopping meat promotions.”

Embracing plant-based initiatives
Jumbo’s initiative aligns with a growing recognition of the environmental and health impacts of high meat consumption. 

Last month, Amsterdam became the first EU capital to endorse the Plant Based Treaty, aiming to address the climate crisis by promoting plant-based diets and making the city a vegan capital. The Plant Based Treaty seeks to mitigate the environmental impact of animal agriculture and encourage a transition toward healthier and more sustainable plant-based diets, with Amsterdam being the 25th municipality worldwide to endorse it.

Stopping meat promotions is also in line with one of Jumbo’s 7 Certainties, which is to charge customers an affordable price for groceries. The supermarket chain has been proactive in promoting plant-based diets by enhancing customer knowledge through plant-based recipes and by developing innovative and affordable meat substitutes.”

The impact of Jumbo’s pricing strategy on consumer behavior has already been observed with its own-brand meat substitutes. Following a price reduction to align the cost of these products with their meat counterparts, Jumbo reported an increase in sales of meat substitutes. 

“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,” says Van Veen.

Last year, a pan-European survey funded by the EU’s Smart Protein project revealed that over half of Europeans are presently engaged in actively reducing their meat intake. This January,  EU Agriculture Ministers met to discuss the regulation of cultivated meat products across the 27 member states of the bloc.