Per capita consumption of meat in Germany 2010-2023

Germans consumed around 52 kilograms of meat per person in 2022. This was a decrease compared to previous years, with figures annually going lower and lower. When questioning the reasons for this development, several factors may come into play. But first, what kinds of meat do Germans actually eat?

Meat in Germany

Germany recorded a self-sufficiency rate of 120 percent for meat products in 2023. The self-sufficiency rate shows the percentage of in-demand agricultural products guaranteed via domestic production. If the rate is under 100 percent, this indicated undersupply. In that case, the respective products have to be imported. But thus far Germany is able to support the national meat market on its own. Various types of meat are produced there. While figures fluctuated somewhat during the last decade, certain trends are visible. Pork was the most produced by far, with close to 4.5 million tons of dressed weight recorded in 2022. Dressed weight is a term used for the weight of a harvested animal, sometimes also described as carcass or hanging weight. Poultry followed further behind, while mutton, goat and horse meat were produced the least. Pork also remained the most consumed type of meat in Germany, which is conclusive to a country known for its sausage products and roast pork dishes. However, it is worth noting that consumption figures decreased across the board for all meat types.

Changing consumption

Lower meat consumption levels may, first and foremost, simply be due to significantly higher consumer prices following the beginning of the Russia-Ukraine war in February 2022, with figures showing a nearly 15 percent increase that year. Another trend is changing consumer preference, whether someone abstains from eating meat due to ethical considerations about the meat industry or for individual health reasons. However, despite the developing market for substitute products and growing number of vegetarians in Germany, meat eating as such has not yet disappeared. In fact, in Germany, around 88 percent of respondents to a survey on the topic stated they ate meat, and this is also the norm in other European countries.