What do we see?
In 2021, a quarter of the footprint is linked to consumption of meat, animal products and fish, 15% is linked to consumption of fruit and vegetables and 10% to bread and cereals. The remaining components are unspecified consumption; out-of-home consumption (restaurants, catering, cafes, etc.) takes up about a quarter of the footprint. Over the years, absolute values have remained fairly constant; per capita we see a slight decrease. The share of meat, animal products and fish was slightly higher at the beginning of the data series. In COVID year 2020, we see a significantly lower value for outdoor consumption.
What’s the aim?
The materials footprint ideally captures the consumption of materials inside and outside Flanders for meeting needs in food. Linked to this consumption are environmental impacts such as greenhouse gas emissions or emissions related to waste. The Flemish Government has adopted an overarching target for the total materials footprint: it must be reduced by 30% by 2030 and 75% by 2050.
