ProVeg recommends a shift to 85% plant-based public food budgets
A new EU-wide modeling study commissioned by ProVeg International finds that shifting public food procurement to 85% plant-based menus could generate €11.61 billion in annual savings and avoided societal costs, while significantly reducing emissions and improving long-term public health.
The research, detailed in The €11 Billion Opportunity: Unlocking the Economic Potential of Plant-Forward Public Procurement in the EU, conducted by Bryant Research, analyzes the impact of reprioritising budgets for food served in schools, hospitals, universities, the military, and other public institutions across EU member countries. It presents scenario modeling at 65%, 75%, and 85% plant-based procurement levels and includes country-by-country breakdowns across the EU-27.
The findings position public food procurement as a fiscal and policy lever with great opportunity to cut costs, and improve public health and the environment.
Key findings (85% plant-based scenario):
- €3.16 billion saved annually in direct public food budgets
- €4.37 billion in avoided environmental externalities
- €4.08 billion per year saved in social health costs
- 8.89 million tons CO₂e reduced annually, equivalent to removing 4.44 million cars from EU roads
- 396,187 long-term obesity cases prevented
Europe currently spends more than €45 billion annually on public food. According to the analysis, existing procurement patterns generate an estimated €8.43 billion in environmental externalities each year, costs that ultimately fall on taxpayers through healthcare, climate impacts, and environmental damage.
“This is not a lifestyle debate, it is a fiscal and strategic one,” said Jasmijn de Boo, Global CEO at ProVeg International. “Public procurement is one of Europe’s most overlooked climate and health tools. By shifting spending to 85% plant-based, the EU could save €3.16 billion directly from food budgets, and over €11 billion annually when environmental and health impacts are included.”
Schools at the center of impact
The modeling highlights schools as a particularly powerful intervention point. Schools account for 39% of institutional animal-product consumption across the EU. Reforming school meals alone could reduce future adult obesity rates, preventing nearly 400,000 long-term obesity cases.
This represents a structural preventative health intervention delivered through existing public systems.
Politically feasible ahead of 2026 review
Crucially, the report concludes that existing procurement mechanisms can drive immediate progress, but targeted amendments to current legislation are needed to unlock their full impact.
With the 2026 review of the EU Public Procurement Directive approaching, the research provides policymakers with a politically deliverable pathway to align public spending with the Strategic Dialog on the Future of EU Agriculture, health strategies, and food system resilience goals.
“Public food purchasing is preventative fiscal policy hiding in plain sight,” continued de Boo. “Adjusting menu composition is one of the fastest ways governments can influence emissions, healthcare costs, and public spending at scale.”
A resilience strategy for Europe
Beyond savings and health gains, the analysis indicates that plant-forward procurement reduces exposure to volatile agricultural input costs, supply chain instability, and environmental risks, strengthening Europe’s long-term food system resilience. It also supports farmer diversification, in line with the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) 2028-2034 proposals.
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Contact details for press officers:
ProVeg International: Gemma Chapman | Advocacy Communications Manager | [email protected]
Editor’s notes:
- Full report: The €11 Billion Opportunity: Unlocking the Economic Potential of Plant-Forward Public Procurement in the EU (Bryant Research for ProVeg International)
- Data covers EU-27 aggregate modeling for 2025
- Environmental costs calculated using Impact Institute 2024 True Cost Pricing (scaled to 2025)
- Health costs include both healthcare expenditure savings and broader societal health cost monetisation
- About ProVeg International: Our vision is a world where the food we eat is good for all people, animals, and our planet. Our mission is to accelerate the transition to a sustainable global food system by making plant-rich foods and alternative proteins more accessible and appealing.
