A third of Belgians eating less meat since slaughterhouse scandal

A series of recent food safety scares in slaughterhouses has prompted more than a third of people in Belgium to eat less meat, according to a new survey of Belgian eating habits.

The poll of 1,000 Belgians aged 20-64 commissioned by Moustique magazine found 36% of respondents had reduced their meat consumption in recent months. But only 5% of the people surveyed were vegetarian - and 1% vegan.

In March it emerged that a meat producer in Wallonia, Veviba, had been delivering sub-standard and even inedible meat to grocery stores. Veviba was responsible for 30% of the Belgian meat market and delivered to Colruyt and Delhaize.

Veviba’s practices were discovered during an inspection in February that found that 133 of the company’s 200 palettes of meat inspected did not conform to food safety standards. The company has since had its licence revoked.

Nearly half of repsondents in the Moustique study said the quality of food in Belgian supermarkets was getting worse. However, 86% said their top priority when choosing which food to buy was the price.

Three-quarters of people surveyed said better controls and spot checks were needed to ensure safety in the food chain. The study found that a quarter of people consume organic produce at least once a week - but 80% of respondents said it was too expensive.