Per capita meat consumption

In 2025, per capita meat consumption in the United States is expected to reach 226.2 pounds, representing a modest 0.6% rise over the previous year. Consumption trends in the current year remain subdued due to ongoing concerns over inflation and higher interest rates, which have slightly constrained household purchasing power. Persistent interest in health and wellness has led many consumers to reduce red meat intake and seek alternative diets, including plant-based options. Meanwhile, poultry continues to gain favor because of its affordability and versatility, offsetting weaker demand for red meat products.

During the five years to 2025, per capita meat consumption has increased at an annualized rate of 0.3%, reflecting both short-term disruptions and underlying long-term trends. The COVID-19 pandemic caused a sharp decline in meat consumption in 2020 and 2021, as supply chain inefficiencies and plant shutdowns created shortages and led to higher retail meat prices. After these disruptions subsided, 2022 saw a notable 1.7% rebound as consumer incomes recovered and households increased their purchase of meat products. Poultry emerged as the dominant protein during this period, benefiting from improvements in production that lowered retail prices and attracted cost-conscious shoppers. In contrast, red meat consumption faced headwinds from shifting consumer preferences toward healthier diets and increased feed costs caused by higher corn prices, themselves influenced by demand for corn in ethanol production.

Despite rising poultry consumption, overall meat demand plateaued in 2023 and contracted modestly in 2024 due to renewed macroeconomic pressures, including inflation and surging interest rates that restricted disposable income. Broader social trends, such as increased adoption of flexitarian, vegan, and vegetarian dietary patterns, continued to prevent a return to the strong, persistent growth observed in earlier decades. At the same time, the acceleration of health awareness, concerns over sustainability, and the rising availability of alternative proteins have constrained further growth in meat consumption. The result is a business environment in which growth in per capita meat consumption is positive but muted compared to historical averages, and in which gains in poultry offset flat or declining red meat intake.

Over the five years to 2025, these competing forces have resulted in overall stability with modest growth for per capita meat consumption in the United States. While occasional periods of strong rebound have occurred as pandemic effects faded, the market remains shaped by longer-term dietary shifts, macroeconomic volatility, and the growing prominence of alternative proteins.