According to a new report released by the Germany’s Federal Information Centre for Agriculture, meat consumption in Germany saw a noticeable decrease from 2021 to 2022, with 2022 seeing the lowest meat consumption since the group began collecting data on the issue back in 1989.
According to the report in 2022 per capita meat consumption dropped from 56.2 kilograms per person to 52, a 7.5% decrease. No year between 1989 and 2022 has seen a lower kilogram per person rate for meat consumption.
In terms of specific meat products, in 2022 Germans ate roughly 10% less pork (2.8 kg per person), 2.9% less poultry (400 grams per person) and 8.2% less beef/veal (900 grams per person).
Last year German Health Minister Karl Lauterbach stated that “One thing is clear: we will have to eat much less meat… in the long term, we could reduce meat consumption by 80 percent. But not only in Germany, but worldwide, because it is simply very difficult to produce meat without massive CO2 waste.”
A separate report compiled by Nielsen and published by GFI Europe found that plant-based meat sales were up 6% in 2022, which correlates with this new report showing meat consumption on the decline.
You can find more information on the Federal Information Centre for Agriculture’s report by clicking here.
