| The country that invented the frankfurter is beginning to lose its appetite for meat -- and the way it's processed. Many Germans were already eating less meat before Covid-19 forced restaurants and cafes to close in March. The national lockdown is now over, but the virus has highlighted a deeper problem in the industry: the lengths to which slaughterhouses will go to keep prices low. An outbreak at a meat-processing plant near the city of Guetersloh left more than 2,000 people infected with the disease and, earlier this week, forced authorities to restore restrictions on daily life in the area. It also prompted the owner, Toennies GmbH, to announce changes to its working practices, including a pledge to stop using subcontractors.  The closed Toennies GmbH plant in Rheda-Wiedenbrueck. Germany. Photographer: Sean Gallup/Getty Images The government plans to clamp down on the entire industry, which employs about 200,000 people in Germany — including many migrants. Workers are often underpaid and overworked, aren't kept at a safe distance from their colleagues and don't receive sufficient protective equipment, according to the Labor Ministry. They are also forced to live in overcrowded, substandard accommodations. Meat-processing plants have become hot spots for the virus worldwide. The U.S. has been arguably the worst hit, with thousands of workers testing positive and plant shutdowns spurring temporary meat shortages at retailers and fast-food chains. In Germany, the problem may be on the demand side. As the industry cleans up its act, meat companies are almost certain to face higher production costs at a time when growing numbers of people are getting a taste for veggie burgers and the like. Whether consumers are prepared to pay significantly more for their frankfurters remains to be seen. — Andrew Blackman | 
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