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# RTL extra: The Meat Experiment.
- URL: https://cibocom.ghost.io/rtl-extra-the-meat-experiment/
- Published: 2019-07-04T00:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-08T15:07:45.000Z
- Author: Cibocom
- Tags: Premium Food Group, beef, pork

Tönnies Challenges Findings of the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy Study Rheda-Wiedenbrück, December 16, 2021 – The Tönnies Group has expressed disagreement with the conclusions of a study conducted by the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP) based in Minneapolis. According to the study, the greenhouse gas emissions from the top twenty meat and dairy corporations in Europe surpass the entire emissions of countries like the Netherlands and Denmark. Dr. Gereon Schulze Althoff, Director of Quality Management and Sustainability at Tönnies, criticized the study for relying on estimates that, in his view, do not reflect actual conditions. Dr. Schulze Althoff pointed out that contrary to the study's claims, Tönnies has not seen an increase in emissions over the specified period. Instead, there has been a reduction, attributed to efficiencies gained through mergers and acquisitions. The company, headquartered in Rheda-Wiedenbrück, has been transparently reporting its sustainability efforts according to the Global Reporting Initiative standards and introduced a decade-long sustainability goal plan, Agenda t30, in 2020\. The IATP study suggested a 30 percent rise in Tönnies' emissions from 2016 to 2018, a figure that Dr. Schulze Althoff disputes. He argues that the study's authors did not provide a scientific calculation of emissions but rather made estimates based on the number of animals slaughtered. He further explains that Tönnies' growth and acquisition of the Zur Mühlen Group, which included six sites in 2017, did not result in an overall increase in emissions. Instead, it led to a reduction in emissions that were previously accounted for under different company names. Dr. Schulze Althoff also criticized the study's methodology, highlighting the role of meat companies as intermediaries between agriculture and consumers. He argues that Scope 3 emissions from farms would occur regardless of the processing location of the livestock. He contends that a world without livestock is not a viable solution, as it would lead to increased production of petroleum-based fertilizers and leave no sustainable way to utilize byproducts of plant-based food production. He further argues that comparing the impacts of petroleum to food production is illogical, as food production is essential and must be viewed within its entire systemic context. Dr. Schulze Althoff emphasizes the progress in agriculture and meat production, noting a 20 percent reduction in agricultural emissions in Germany since 1990, despite increased production volumes.