December 15, 2022

Brazilian meat consumption declined sharply this year

Brazilian consumers' meat consumption declined sharply in 2022 as demand fell due to increasing food prices, and more than 90% of Brazilians also said they do not want to go back to past meat-eating habits, Buenos Aires Times reported.

According to research from the Good Food Institute (GFI) and Toluna, a global research firm, 67% of Brazilians consumed less animal protein in the previous year. While the majority of them cited higher prices as the primary motivator for changing habits, more than a third cited health concerns as the primary motivator. Approximately half of those polled said the change was self-motivated.

Brazil has joined the list of major meat markets that have reduced consumption due to rising prices caused by higher feed and logistic costs, as well as lower supplies as exports to Asia increased. Similar changes have affected beef sales in Argentina and the US, which, along with Brazil, are the world's largest consumers of the red meat.

One-third of Brazilians who reduced their meat consumption used plant-based fake meat as a replacement, up from 25% a year ago. The GFI said such products are most popular among buyers who have eliminated meat from their diet due to health concerns, but they are also preferred by customers who have been impacted by food inflation.

Only 7% of Brazilians said they intend to eat more meat in the coming year. 93% of those who already buy less animal protein plan to stick with their current diet or cut back even more.

The GFI said there is no immediate concern about increasing meat consumption, citing a promising outlook for plant-based meat substitutes in Brazil.

-      Buenos Aires Times