Breakfast is often overlooked in the fight against climate change. For only 1 in 10 of those who are aware of the impact on the climate at meal times, breakfast is the meal they are most aware of. Women in particular find it more important that what they eat has little impact on the climate and want to reduce their consumption of animal products more often. But they are still more likely to adjust breakfast because of diet than because of the impact on the climate. This is shown by research by Oatly, the world's largest oat drink company.
The survey, which was conducted among more than 1,000 Dutch people who eat breakfast, shows that more than four in ten Dutch people are not aware of the climate impact of their meals at any meal time. The Dutch who are aware of this during eating times are most often aware of this during the evening meal (60%). Compared to other eating times, only one in ten is most often aware of the impact on the climate at breakfast.
Fortunately, more than one in three Dutch people are willing to change their eating habits if this has a positive effect on the climate, which, according to the company, is a good start. Women in particular would be more likely to make changes to their breakfast products if this would have less impact on the climate (34% vs. 28%). They more often find it important that what they eat has little impact on the climate (41% vs. 34%) and more often want to reduce their consumption of animal products (44% vs. 35%).
Vegetable alternative is climate-friendly
Oatly's research shows that despite growing awareness of the environmental impact of what we eat and drink, breakfast habits have barely changed in the past five years. The consumption of dairy and eggs has not increased or decreased on average. Four in five consume dairy products at least once a week for breakfast and over a third do so daily.
Below are a few facts from the investigation:
Breakfast
- Almost four out of ten Dutch people who eat breakfast generally have less time and attention for breakfast than for other meals (38%)
- The Dutch most often find the taste (83%), nutrition (61%), fast preparation time (44%) and/or that it is easy/little effort (37%) very important when choosing a breakfast
- Dutch people up to the age of 40 more often generally have less time and attention for their breakfast than for other meals (52% vs. 31%) and would more often like to vary their breakfast (39% vs. 23%) compared to people over 40
- The consumption of bread products at breakfast has not changed for many (60%) in the past 5 years
- Thirties changed their breakfast habits more often because of a diet (48% vs. 29%) and because they were ready for something else (32% vs. 20%), compared to the other age groups
Dairy products
- Eight out of ten Dutch people eat or drink dairy products at least once a week (81%) with their breakfast
- At least a third consume these products daily (34%) and an eighth never consume dairy products for breakfast (13%)
Vegetable dairy products
- Only one sixth consumes plant-based dairy products at least once a week for breakfast (17%), in seven out of ten plant-based dairy products are never part of the breakfast (70%)
- In the past 5 years, people more often eat or drink more (than less) plant-based dairy products (14% vs. 7%) for breakfast
- Young people are more likely to eat or drink more plant-based dairy products compared to other age groups than 5 years ago (24% vs. 12% 30 years and older)
Female vs. Male
- More than a quarter of Dutch people who eat breakfast have structurally adjusted their breakfast habits in the past 5 years (27%) and this is more often the case for women than men (30% vs. 24%)
- Women changed their breakfast more often because of a diet (40% vs. 25%), men more often because they were ready for something else (33% vs. 14%)
- Women are more willing to make changes to their breakfast if it has less impact on the climate (34% vs. 28%)
- Women find it more important that what they eat has little impact on the climate (41% vs. 34%)
- Women are more likely to want to reduce their consumption of animal products (44% vs. 35%)
- Of those who sometimes have breakfast mindlessly, men do so more often because they eat breakfast on autopilot (71% vs. 53%)
