The municipal government of the Finnish capital Helsinki will henceforth refrain from offering meat products at receptions and festivities. Starting from the new year, only seasonal vegetarian dishes and sustainably caught fish will be served.
Only Fairtrade certified products are welcome. The city of Helsinki also wants to stop offering cow's milk. Instead, oat drinks and other plant-based products should be served.
However, they do not want to go completely without dairy: according to the new rule, cheese must still be included on the plates at gatherings and events in the city. Moreover, the requirement does not apply to schools, hospitals, and other public institutions where different dietary guidelines take precedence.
Exceptions to the 'no red meat' rule may only be made for high-profile visits. The city government justifies the complete transition to vegetarian dishes with environmental and climate protection considerations. The current decision was preceded by an earlier decision in 2019 to halve the use of milk and meat products.
The announcement by the city government met with sharp criticism from the Finnish Farmers' Association (MTK). Association chairman Juha Marttila described the campaign as "transparent greenwashing." According to him, the Finnish capital wants to divert attention from the 'embarrassing' fact that the vast majority of its own energy supply still comes from fossil sources.
Marttila announced that the farmers' association will, of course, continue to offer local meat products at public events in Helsinki.