Nutrition: people eat more poultry meat – 13.6 kilos per capita

Poultry meat is becoming increasingly popular in Germany. The arithmetic per capita consumption rose by almost 4 percent to an average of 13.6 kilograms in 2024. This emerges from preliminary figures from the Federal Information Center Agriculture (BZL).

The increase is therefore particularly due to chicken meat. According to the authority, pork was further ahead with 28.4 kilos per inhabitant. That was 100 grams less than in 2023. In the case of beef and veal, the consumption was unchanged at 9.3 kilos.

During meat consumption, shifts can be observed to poultry, said the head of the Federal Center for Nutrition, Barbara Kaiser. “It is cheap, has relatively little fat, so it is low -calorie and easier to digest.” For consumers, it is a healthier alternative to red meat from beef or pig.

Meat production grew to 7.3 million tons in 2024

A total of 4.44 million tons of meat were consumed in Germany last year. That was 0.8 percent more than in 2023. However, a return to consumption of earlier years seems unlikely against the background of the trend towards flexitarian nutrition, said BZL manager Josef Goos.

According to him, the slight increase is favored by the fact that consumer prices have no longer increased as much. Poultry meat was even offered cheaper. According to Goos, GOOS also contributed to the more affordable prices that a little more meat has recently been made in Germany. Production increased by 1.4 percent to 7.3 million tons.

A slight increase in meat consumption had already been recorded in the previous year, and this was a bit stronger in poultry. According to the BZL, a long-term comparison is not yet possible. With the census 2022, the calculation basis has changed, it is said.