Jumbo has become the first Dutch supermarket to stop special offers involving meat.

From the end of May, the second biggest Dutch supermarket chain will end discounts and other bargain deals involving beef, pork and chicken. 

The move, said chief executive Ton van Veen, is an “important step towards our contribution to the transition from animal-based protein to more plant-based food…We have not taken this decision overnight,” he said. 

The company aims to make sure 50% of the protein on its shelves from 2025 is from animal sources and 50% is plant-based rising to a 60:40 split in 2030. “Our analyses show that achieving this interim goal can only be achieved by stopping special offers involving meat,” Van Veen said. 

Last week the supermarket group came under fire after it emerged the number of bargain meat deals last year was double that of a year ago. 

“We are impressed with the ambition Jumbo is showing,” said animal rights group Wakker Dier which has long campaigned against meat discounts and has targeted Jumbo in particular. 

Official government healthy eating guidelines say people should get 60% of their protein needs from plant-based sources. According to the most recent figures from public health institute RIVM, this is now around 43%.

Earlier this month, national statistics agency CBS said one in four meals on Dutch dinner tables is now meat free.