April 6, 2023

German meat consumption drops to 34-year low, led by pork

Data from Germany's Federal Information Center for Agriculture showed that the country's meat consumption dropped to its lowest level in 34 years in 2022, led by declining interest in pork, Just Food reported.

The average German consumer ate 52 kg of meat in 2022, 4.2 kg lower compared to 2021 and lowest since meat consumption data was first tracked in 1989.

German pork production fell by 9.8%, while beef and veal production dropped by 8.2%. Net production of poultry meat declined by 2.9%.

Local meat production was sufficient to meet 116% of demand in 2022. In poultry, domestic production met 97.4% of the market's demands.

Major meat company Danish Crown announced the closure of a 200-person facility in Germany last year, citing a decline in the number of animals slaughtered and lower consumer demand for pork.

In order to improve earnings, Danish Crown said it was adjusting its approach to the German market, including the closure of a deboning facility in Boizenburg, near Hamburg.

A week later, the company announced the elimination of 150 jobs in order to cut costs. Jais Valeur, chief executive officer of Danish Crown, said that the growing domestic pork production in China, combined with Russia's invasion of Ukraine and global inflation, has turned the pork market "upside down."

Tonnies, a German-based meat processor, cut 500 to 600 jobs between June and September at two domestic pork plants, citing a slump in slaughter numbers.

-      Just Food