Portugal
Making Progress*
Making Progress means that the city, local government, or public institution has increased vegetarian options or increased the use of organic meat but has yet to implement dedicated, mandatory vegetarian meals at least one meal per week.
In March of 2017, Portugal passed a landmark new law, requiring that all publicly-funded institutions that serve food must offer a vegan option for every meal! This includes schools, elder care facilities, universities, and hospitals.
The new policy has been in practice for less than a year, so the impacts are still being measured. But initial reaction to the policy has been positive. The proposal gained support because people appreciated the freedom to choose what kind of meal they wanted.
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What’s next?
This policy is sure to go a long way in helping people feel more comfortable with plant-based meals. The next step is to implement vegetarian days in public canteens.