Business Environment Profiles - Australia
Published: 28 May 2024
Meat consumption
103 Kilograms Per Capita
-0.4 %
This report analyses total meat consumed per capita in Australia. For the purposes of this report, the definition of meat includes beef, veal, lamb, mutton, pig meat and poultry meat. The data for this report is sourced from the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences. It is measured in kilograms per capita and presented in financial years.
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IBISWorld expects meat consumption to fall by 0.8% during 2023-24 to 103.4 kilograms per capita. Rising health consciousness and the increasing uptake of veganism are expected to boost demand for plant-based alternatives, constraining overall meat consumption. However, domestic meat production is expected to rise during the year and the prices of beef, poultry, lamb and pig meat are anticipated to fall, weighing on the fall in meat consumption.
Consumer meat preferences have changed over the past two decades. Traditionally, beef accounted for most meat consumed by Australians. However, in 2001-02, per capita consumption of chicken meat exceeded beef and veal consumption for the first time. The considerably lower price and versatility of chicken meat in cooking have helped boost chicken meat consumption over the past decade, with consumption expected to reach 49.9 kilograms per capita during 2023-24. Conversely, per capita beef and veal consumption has continued to decrease over the period to a projected 21.2 kilograms per capita in 2023-24. Lamb and mutton consumption has increased over the past five years. However, they remain the least consumed traditional meats by Australians. Mutton consumption in Australia is minimal. Pork consumption has fallen over the past five years, with consumption expected to reach 25.5 kilograms per capita in the current year.
Greater production of poultry, pork and sheep meat over the past five years has supported consumption of meat in Australia. However, a fall in beef and veal production has contributed to the falling consumption of these meats, constraining overall meat consumption. Beef and veal consumption has been negatively affected by rising health consciousness, with many consumers opting for healthier meat options, such as poultry, or eating seafood or vegetarian options. In the current year, beef and veal consumption is expected to account for 20.5% of total meat consumption, falling from 21.7% five years earlier. Over the same period, pig meat has followed similar trends, while sheep meat and poultry have both increased as a share of total meat consumption. Pork is anticipated to account for 24.7% of total meat consumption, while poultry is anticipated to reach 48.3%. Meat consumption has been constrained by the rising popularity of vegan and vegetarian diets. Several new plant-based meat alternatives have also become available for consumers, encouraging more people to make the switch away from meat. Overall, meat consumption is forecast to fall at a compound annual rate of 0.4% over the five years through 2023-24.
IBISWorld expects meat consumption to rise by 1.9% during 2024-25 to 105.4 kilograms per capita. ...
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