Grilled Meat in the WWF Check: Advertised Products Often Come from Abroad

"Soy feed from overseas causes massive environmental destruction: Biodiverse habitats such as tropical forests and savannas have to make way for huge monocultures where large amounts of pesticides are used. Meat products from Austria also contribute to this," says WWF expert Dominik Heizmann in a press release.

WWF Call Against Imported Grill Meat

In three-quarters of grill meat products with an Austrian origin label, the use of overseas soy could not be ruled out. "If meat is labeled as Austrian in origin, then this should also apply to the feed used." Politics must ensure more transparency here. According to WWF, only 15 percent of grill meat products on special offer guarantee the use of purely European soy feed. Organic quality meat is even less frequently advertised (five percent of the products), although it guarantees high environmental standards. The WWF called on retailers to gradually remove imported meat from their range, expand the organic offering, and support Austrian farms in switching from overseas soy to regional feed.

Demand for VAT Reduction on Fruits, Vegetables, and Legumes

Climate- and environmentally-friendly plant-based alternatives are also rarely found on special offer, even though the soy contained in them is grown in Europe or even in Austria. "The flyers are full of special discounts on cheap meat instead of promoting plant-based alternatives. These are completely wrong signals," said Heizmann. Instead, incentives are needed for a plant-rich and healthy diet, for example by reducing VAT on unprocessed foods such as fruits, vegetables, and legumes. For the analysis, WWF Austria examined the flyers of domestic supermarket chains Billa, Spar, Lidl, Penny, and Hofer from June 1 to June 21, 2025. A total of 386 grill products were advertised on special offer, of which 362 were animal-based and 24 were plant-based grill meat alternatives.

(APA/Red)

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