Meat consumption in Germany is falling
Steaks and sausages are less and less on German dinner tables as meat consumption is experiencing an unprecedented decline, a trend encouraged by the vegan German agriculture minister, although he claims he does not want to marginalize the lovers change. food type.
In 2022, Germany’s per capita annual consumption will reach 52 kilograms, the lowest level since statistics in this field began in 1989, and the figure was about 61 kilograms per person five years ago.
A range of factors are driving consumers to adopt meat substitutes in their dishes, including high prices, concerns about climate change and concerns about not harming animals.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture, the number of Germans who describe themselves as vegetarians has risen from about 6 percent in 2018 to almost 10 percent.
Among them was civil servant Florian Bozeman (28), who was interviewed by AFP during the Berlin Vegetarian Festival, one of the most famous vegan events in Europe.
Bozeman, who enjoys grilled steaks, stressed in a statement to AFP that “eating less meat definitely helps” protect the environment and animals, and is also healthy.
For the first time since late 2021, environmental activist Cem Ozdemir has a vegan takeover of the German government’s agricultural affairs.
“Long term oriented”
The minister, who oversees the livestock and meat industries, said he sought to make production models more respectful of ethical considerations for the benefit of consumers and professionals.
Noting that livestock is “one of the major sources” of agricultural carbon emissions, he wants steps to be taken to make it more climate-smart.
“For example, we will help farmers keep fewer animals, but in a better way,” said the man who became a vegetarian as a teenager.
The minister sees reducing meat consumption as a “long-term trend”, explaining that “people care about the climate, they want better care for animals and they care about their health”, describing it as “a good thing.”
The agriculture minister plans to announce a food strategy by the end of the year to help Germans eat “healthy” food.
Sebastien Joy, president of Provig International, which organizes the festival in Berlin, said the growing market for meat substitutes played a major role in the trend.
The shelves of vegan alternatives to steaks, sausages, burgers and salmon fillets are expanding in Berlin supermarkets.
10 grams per day
However, these new food trends have not been immune to controversy.
German media reported that the German Dietetic Association, which provides advice to the government, proposed to limit the daily meat intake to less than 10 grams, which caused a sensation.
Emojis depicting sausage slices circulated on social networks, while popular newspaper Bild mocked the suggestion with the headline “(Careforest) only one month left!”, referring to the famous local grilled sausage dishes.
However, the German Dietetic Association has denied any such suggestion, saying rumors about the matter are pure misunderstandings.
A recent poll by the Bild newspaper showed that 57 percent of Germans strongly oppose state measures to reduce meat consumption.
“The country must stay away from people’s dishes,” a spokesman for the German Meat Industry Association told AFP.
It is believed that the main reasons for the decline in meat consumption since 2018 are rising prices and declining purchasing power.
The agriculture minister said he did not want to dictate what Germans should eat. “My job is to advise on a healthy, balanced diet. I want healthy food to be the easy choice,” he added.
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