While six in 10 Dutch people consider themselves to be confirmed meat eaters, a growing group regard eating meat every day to be a thing of the past, according to a new survey for environmental group Natuur & Milieu.

Research bureau Kien questioned a representative group of 1,000 people and found 37% do not eat meat every day, 2% are vegetarian, 2% eat fish but not meat and just 1% abstained from animal products altogether.

One third of those polled said they thought the environmental cost of meat production should be worked into meat prices. The survey also showed that youngsters are more likely to be vegetarian, with just over half describing themselves as meat eaters and 43% as flexitarians.

‘Meat consumption in the Netherlands is not going down, but this survey gives hope that change it on its way,’ Natuur & Milleu spokeswoman Dorien Ackerman said.

On average, the Dutch eat 40 kilos of meat a year.

An online poll by Nu.nl last year found a higher proportion of vegetarians and vegans.