People in the Netherlands ate an average of almost 77kg of meat last year, according to a new report from Wageningen Economic Research.

A comparison of meat consumption across Europe from 2005 to 2016 suggests that in recent years, the Dutch had been consuming a lot less but that this trend has now levelled off.

By contrast, the amounts eaten in Belgium, Germany and Europe as a whole dropped.

The Netherlands, however, still eats less meat – as measured through discarded animal carcasses – than the EU average of about 86kg per person last year. Pork was the most popular meat, followed by chicken and then beef.

WRR, the scientific council that advises on government policy, has recommended reducing meat consumption, particularly of processed foods.