Consistent demand for affordable and versatile protein has supported volume sales of meat, with consumers leaning heavily towards chicken and lower-cost cuts amid cost of living pressures. Hampered by price sensitivity and ingredient scrutiny, the future growth of meat alternatives depends on its deeper integration into mainstream consumption patterns.

2025 was a challenging year for meat in Japan with rising prices putting pressure on retail sales. Japan’s declining population also continued to weigh on retail demand, although this was partly compensated for by the increasing focus on protein-rich diets. Foodservice sales continued to recover, buoyed by an uptick in tourism, although operators were faced with rising costs which pushed them towards cheaper inputs.

Fresh meat remains a key part of the local diet and therefore sales continued to see robust growth in total volume terms in 2025 despite the financial pressures facing many households. The market saw a degree of polarisation during the year. On one hand, price-sensitive consumers traded down to cheaper cuts and private label options in order to make savings. Meanwhile, on the other hand, some families invested in higher quality fresh meat, especially products from trusted, ethical and traceable

Falling consumption of pork, the most widely consumed meat in China, is curbing overall retail volume sales in the meat category. Structural shifts towards dining out more and cooking less at home is also evident in meat consumption, with foodservice sales rising ahead of the retail channel. Purchasing behavior is not only shaped by price, but also health, quality and convenience factors.

Total volume sales of meat in Germany continued to decline in 2024, albeit at a slower rate than in previous years of the review period. This was because foodservice volume sales continued to recover from the Coronavirus (COVID-19) slump, albeit remaining below 2019 pre-pandemic level. Meanwhile, the retail trend of less meat consumption as a whole continued, consistent with the general shifts to more vegetarian, vegan and flexitarian diets in Germany.

Poultry is set to account for the highest total volume sales within meat in India in 2024. In particular, chicken is in strong demand in the country due to its low fat content, high protein, and affordability, making it a popular choice amongst the rising middle-classes with increasing disposable incomes. Despite a high vegetarian population (with over 50% of Indian respondents to Euromonitor’s Voice of the Consumer Survey, fielded January-February 2024 saying they are vegan or vegetarian), chic

Fresh meat in Thailand experienced challenges in 2024, due to high prices caused by inflationary pressures and the rising costs of living. Whilst inflation levels dropped in 2024, down to 0.8% from 1.23% in 2023 and a high of 6.08% in 2022 [Euromonitor International data], this has not fully reflected in the prices of food, goods, utilities, etc. Added to which, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) has cited the country’s GDP growth in 2024 at 2.6%, which is lower than the region as a whole at 4.7%.

In 2024, total volume sales of meat in Morocco grew by 4%. However, inflation continued to drive up red meat prices, a trend affecting many countries globally. Due to ongoing drought conditions, the cost of locally produced and imported fodder rose by 29% and 13%, respectively. In addition, the production costs for red meat also increased in 2024. As a result, some breeders were forced to cull female meat breeds, reducing the supply of slaughter animals. In response, the government implemented s

After solid total volume growth for meat in the US in 2021 and 2022, volumes dipped to slight negative growth in 2023, but in 2024 a rebound to low growth was seen. Retail and institutional volumes witnessed the worst performances in 2023, and this trend was maintained in 2024. From a retail perspective, the low growth in 2024 signalled a continued improvement as the category recovered from supply chain-related blows to pricing in previous years. However, from an institutional perspective, the c

Meat in Vietnam saw the continued impact of African swine fever (ASF) in 2024. Over 2023 and 2024, Vietnam’s pork sector has suffered considerable disruption due to the outbreak and widespread incidence of the virus. According to the Department of Animal Health (Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development), since the beginning of 2024 ASF has been recorded in 44 provinces and cities. Local authorities have had to destroy over 39,000 pigs - a number three times higher than the same period in 20

The price of beef and veal increased substantially in 2023 due to a sharp rise in the cost of raw materials such as crops for livestock feed, with these price rises continuing to impact the market in 2024. Increased transport costs have also contributed to higher retail prices along with an increase in wages for workers in the supply chain. However, despite these challenges, retail volume sales continued to report positive growth in 2024 with beef and veal remaining popular among Spanish househo

The average unit price of meat in South Africa remains elevated despite experiencing considerably slower growth in 2024. In recent years, meat producers have suffered several debilitating challenges ranging from disease outbreaks to rolling blackouts, which have significantly impacted production and led to steep prices increases. Players have been heavily impacted by foot and mouth disease in cattle, swine flu affecting pork production and bird flu in poultry production. However, improved biosec

Total volume sales of meat grew in France in 2024. This represented a return to growth after the category witnessed a slight decline in the previous year. Pork is the most consumed meat when aggregating both processed meat and fresh meat. However, pork recorded the most marked total volume decline in 2023 apart from the “other meat” subcategory. Decline was widespread, with poultry being by far the strongest performing meat subcategory in total volume terms in 2024. Poultry remains one of the le

Total volume sales of meat grew in Mexico in 2024. Pushed by higher consumer expenditure, enabled by the easing of the overall inflation rate, the Mexican meat category continued to expand both in volume and value. With the recent increases of the minimum wage, the increase of international money transfer to Mexico and the continuation of the government’s money transfers to the population, Mexicans managed to increase their per capita consumption of animal protein. This came despite the higher p

The meat market in Italy is significant in the country's agri-food economy, both in terms of production and consumption. Italy is one of the main meat producers in Europe, with a strong tradition in beef, pork, lamb and poultry. Nonetheless, sales of meat in Italy declined in retail volume terms in 2024, which was largely due to inflationary pressures. The meat market faced several significant challenges in the last two years of the review period. Many of these problems started with Russia's inv

Brazil is a major global player in meat, particularly in beef production, thanks to its vast grasslands, which are ideal for cattle ranching. This contributes significantly to the country’s agricultural exports. However, the industry has faced numerous challenges in recent years, including economic volatility, climate change, and environmental concerns, which have affected both domestic consumption and international trade. During periods of economic downturn, consumers often reduce their spendin

In 2023, meat in the UK was challenged by another year of double-digit price rises, negatively impacting retail volume sales. With soaring costs, local consumers were compelled to reduce both the quantity and frequency of their meat purchases. Despite this, inflation sustained robust growth in current value terms. Pork was notably the hardest hit, experiencing the steepest decline in retail volume sales. This drop was attributed to a combination of tight domestic supply and elevated input costs,

This briefing examines how the chicken commodity performs globally and in the largest countries in terms of supply and consumption. The report also provides data and analysis on chicken price dynamics, key meat-consuming industries, and exports and imports for countries with the largest markets for meat and meat products consumption.