A look back at 2024 – Key Actions
With joy and excitement, we begin the new year, reflecting on the successes of 2024 and the many new actions waiting for us in 2025. The year 2024 was filled with significant initiatives and achievements for the plant-based sector both in Greece and Europe.
Let’s take a look at what we accomplished in 2024:
- Mapping Restaurants offering Vegetarian and Vegan meals across Greece – Our map has reached 17,000 views to date!
The idea of mapping emerged from the presence of minimal vegetarian options in the restaurants of our country, a problem we identified in our research on the dietary habits of Greeks in 2022. The restaurant mapping initiative began in September 2023 and successfully continued until September 2024. The Association’s services personally contacted restaurants and dining venues across Greece, creating a comprehensive guide to restaurants offering vegan and vegetarian dishes.
The areas mapped include Athens, Thessaloniki, Ioannina, Patras, Heraklion, Larissa, Alexandroupolis, Kavala, Volos, and Kalamata, as well as the regional units of Imathia, Pella, and Halkidiki, now including the islands of the country, such as Skiathos, Skopelos, and Alonissos.
You can find the finalized list here and the map here.
Through this initiative, we created a valuable tool for vegetarian and vegan consumers in Greece.
- Questionnaire for Agriculture and Food Policy ahead of the 2024 European Elections.
2024 started dynamically with the sending of open letters to representatives of political parties in the country with national representation who also participate in the European elections, asking them to participate in completing a questionnaire regarding Food Policy. The responses contributed to the development of a report for the EU, highlighting the positions of European parties and national political parties on Food Policy and Agriculture issues.
- Signatures for the Plant-Based Manifesto
Another significant initiative was the collection of signatures for the Plant-Based Manifesto. We reached out to 121 candidates for the European Parliament to align with the effort to promote vegetarianism in Greece and Europe, and we managed to collect 5 signatures from Greece, 4 of which came from candidates for the European Parliament.
You can read more about it here.
- Vegetarian Dish Competition in Thessaloniki
In February 2024, we organized the first Vegetarian Dish Competition in Thessaloniki to highlight the best vegetarian recipes (vegan & vegetarian) offered in the city’s restaurants. The response was impressive, with over 60 dishes from 25 participating restaurants
The official launch of the Vegetarian Dish Competition “Veg.contest Thessaloniki 2024 – The City’s Gastronomy is Changing” on March 11, 2024, brought to the forefront over 60 vegetarian dishes, which were evaluated for their taste and appearance by the public of Thessaloniki and beyond! The organization of the event through radio advertisements and social media had significant reach. A total of 6 features appeared in magazines, 3 radio advertisements, and 2 promotional actions on social media.
Find more about the event here.
Also see below the interviews conducted regarding the competition:
- 15-02-24 from the President of the Association, Souzana Isaacidou, at the Athens News Agency – AMNA. Read here.
- 16-02-24 from the Scientific Responsible of the Association, Maria Chamilaki, at makthes.gr. Read here.
- 20-02-24 from the Scientific Responsible of the Association, Maria Chamilaki, on the show “Editorial Room” on 102FM. Listen here.
- 01-04-24 from the President of the Association, Souzana Isaacidou, in Citymag magazine. Read here.
- 02-07-24 from the Scientific Responsible of the Association, Maria Chamilaki, on the show ForLife on City106.1. Listen here.
- Repetition of the Research on the Dietary Habits of Greeks
With co-funding from EVU, we repeated the 2022 research on the dietary habits of Greek consumers and their evolution over the years. The analysis of the data contributed to a better understanding of the trends and preferences of Greeks in their diet and the role of vegetarianism in the country.
Did you know that 40% of Greek consumers intend to reduce their consumption of meat and meat products in the near future? In fact, 3 out of 10 meat-eaters have already made this decision. Also, 1 in 4 Greeks plans to limit their consumption of milk and dairy products. These and more are highlighted in this year’s research.
- Interviews for World Vegetarian and Vegan Days
In these two months, October and November, we participated in two significant interviews.
On October 1st, in honor of World Vegetarian Day, the Scientific Responsible of the Association, Maria Chamilaki, spoke on the ForLife show of City 106.1 about developments surrounding vegetarianism and its importance for health and the environment. Listen here.
On November 1st, in celebration of World Vegan Day, we participated in an interview with Businessnews, where we discussed the growing acceptance of veganism in Greece and Europe. Read εδώ.
Presence of the European Vegetarian Union (EVU)
HellasVeg, as a member of the EVU, is very pleased with the actions and presence of the EVU at both the European and international levels.
The EVU has made significant publications and has led efforts on labeling issues. Specifically:
- Plant-based Manifesto for the 2024 European Elections
On the occasion of the 2024 European elections, the EVU presented in November 2023 the Manifesto for the plant-based sector, a document addressed to the newly elected Members of the European Parliament. The aim is to promote sustainable practices and enhance the nutrition of Europeans, aligning it with the goals of the European Green Deal and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for 2030.
The manifesto calls for leadership and ambition from the new Members of Parliament to address the contemporary challenges of climate and biodiversity.
The Plant-based Manifesto was introduced at an online event organized by the EVU in anticipation of the European elections titled “Elections Menu: European Parties’ Views on the Future of Food Policy,” which aimed to present the key positions of political parties on Food Policy issues. You can read the manifesto for the plant-based sector here.
- Open Letter to the AGRI Committee
The EVU sent an open letter to the members of the Agriculture and Rural Development (AGRI) Committee of the European Parliament, urging them to support sustainable food systems. Key points of the letter included:
-Support for sustainable systems through the enhancement of production and consumption of plant-based products
-Reform actions of the CAP, such as supporting farmers transitioning to sustainable practices
-Adoption of legislation for sustainable food systems
The EVU committed to collaborating with the Committee, providing data and proposals to support the goals of the CAP, the Green Deal, and the Farm2Fork strategy.
- Report on Food Policy in Europe ahead of the European Elections
The EVU presented its report titled “Plant-Based Politics: the 2024 EU Election Guide,” which served as a guide for voters, policymakers, and stakeholders, offering a clear picture of the parties’ stance on plant-based food policies. The research was compiled by gathering responses from over 50 political parties from countries such as Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Poland, and Spain, focusing on their key positions on Food Policy issues.
Key results:
- 78% of the parties supported binding targets for improving the environmental impact of the CAP.
- 69% supported the implementation of the “polluter pays” principle through an ETS (Emissions Trading System).
- Most of the proposals in the Plant-Based Manifesto received wide acceptance. You can find the report and read more here.
- Leader in the French Decree to ban meat terminology for Plant-Based Products.
The EVU has advocated for transparent and clear labeling of plant-based foods with harmonized regulations that support plant-based alternatives.
The EU Court (ECJ) approved that France’s effort to ban the use of terms such as “burger” or “sausage” for plant-based products is not allowed unless specific legal conditions are met. Thus, member states cannot impose a general ban on designations for plant products that refer to traditional meat terms, and consumers are already protected by European legislation without the need for additional restrictions. Read more in the article here.