Per Capita Meat Consumption

Until recently, meat consumption in the United States had experienced persistent growth for decades. As the nation's wealth expanded, consumers had more disposable income to spend on meat, which is usually more expensive than other types of food. Meat consumption boosted in the early 2000s with the rise in popularity of high-protein, low-carb diets. However, dietary trends have reversed and many consumers are looking at alternative diets, including vegan and vegetarian options. Furthermore, meat consumption slowed as a result of the recession in 2008. The adverse economic conditions restricted the average consumer’s disposable income, leading them to consume less of most goods, especially relatively expensive meat. Other factors have also contributed to the recent stagnation in meat consumption.

The use of corn in ethanol has increased the cost of feed, which has led to the price of meat to rise. Furthermore, many consumers are looking for healthier diets, which today often call for reduced meat consumption. Despite the health concerns and shifting customer preferences of red meat over the past five years, increasing poultry consumption has offset the decline of red meat consumption during the period. Poultry consumption has expanded the most among livestock products due to the lower-cost, versatile and convenient features compared with other meat protein. Additionally, the improvements in chicken productions have led to lower retail prices, resulting in a growing demand for chicken products.

During the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic period, supply-chain inefficiencies led to significant backlogs at meat processing plants, ultimately raising the retail price of meat. As a result of shutdowns and shortages, meat consumption decelerated in 2020 and declined in 2021. Despite periods of high inflation during 2022, meat consumption increased 1.7% households emerged from the pandemic period and could afford more meat products. Consumption remained flat during 2023 and decreased during 2024 due to surging interest rates and inflation. Overall, per capita meat consumption is expected to rise at an annualized rate of 0.3% to 226.2 pounds over the five years to 2025.