The Protein Tracker is the most accurate methodology, developed by the Green Protein Alliance and ProVeg Netherlands, that helps supermarkets and food service companies gain insight into the ratio of animal to plant-based proteins in their sales or purchases.
A simple target for ‘more plant-based’ is not enough. The Protein Tracker provides the necessary insights needed to take impactful and targeted steps in the protein transition. By precisely analyzing where you stand now, you can help consumers make more plant-based choices.
These organisations are measuring their progress with The Protein Tracker:
Towards 60/40 by 2030
In the Netherlands, we still consume too many animal proteins and too few plant-based proteins. The shift towards a more plant-based diet is not only crucial for reducing our environmental footprint but also for achieving a healthier diet. The Dutch Health Council has concluded that a diet with 60% plant-based proteins is both better for the environment and healthier for most Dutch people.
The Dutch government has set a clear ambition: by 2030, our protein intake must be back in balance—just like in 1950—50% plant-based, 50% animal-based. According to RIVM, the current ratio is 43% plant-based and 57% animal-based.
Major supermarkets and caterers are already setting more ambitious targets than the government: 50/50 by 2025 and 60/40 by 2030.
As a food producer and supplier, you are a driving force in the protein transition. You have a significant influence on what people eat and buy, and you can help consumers opt for more plant-based alternatives. By measuring how many animal and plant-based proteins you sell or purchase and by monitoring the impact of strategic interventions—such as price reductions on plant-based products or adjustments in promotional strategies—you can actively steer change.
Leading the way is the new norm
Are you a food industry professional interested in using The Protein Tracker? Please contact Green Protein Alliance and ProVeg Netherlands before you get started. There are 4 steps to the Protein Tracker methodology:
How does it work?
1. Calculation
The Protein Tracker can be used by any supplier of food products containing animal and plant-based proteins. To make your own calculations, download the methodology guideline and follow the steps described.
2. Validation
An important and mandatory step in the process is the validation of your data. We will verify that your calculations are carried out in accordance with The Protein Tracker methodology. All validations will be carried out by experts at Green Protein Alliance and ProVeg Netherlands.
3. Publication
Once the validation process is complete, your results can be made public and you can communicate that your results are Protein Tracker-approved.
4. Annual repetition
In order to monitor the steps you’re taking and provide transparency on your progress, we can repeat the Protein Tracker assessment yearly and include your results in your annual reporting.
Publications
Assessments
National Protein Tracker Assessment 2024
Methods
Methodology (NL)
Methodology (Eng)
Methodology (Polish)
Monitor Foodservice
First measurement of Dutch supermarkets
The first national supermarket protein split of 2023 was a milestone in transparency and collaboration among supermarkets. The results of this Protein Tracker are part of the sustainability dashboard of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security, and Nature (Ministerie van Landbouw, Visserij, Voedselzekerheid en Natuur).
With the national supermarket protein ratio for 2024, we can now see for the first time the shift made by participating supermarkets—a 1.4% movement towards plant-based.
About
Initiated by the Green Protein Alliance, the Protein Tracker was developed in collaboration with ProVeg Netherlands. We are proud of the result: a harmonized methodology, created by and for supermarkets, to map the ratio of animal and plant-based proteins. The initiative is supported by the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature, and Food Quality and has been developed with input from experts at Natuur & Milieu and Questionmark.
These organisations support usage of The Protein Tracker:
Contact us
Jessie van Hattum – Green Protein Alliance
jessie@greenproteinalliance.nl
Freya Hiemstra – Proveg Nederland
freya.hiemstra@proveg.org
English 
Dutch