The French are consuming less meat, with average meat consumption per capita decreasing by 5.8% over the last twenty years. This decline is particularly noticeable in beef consumption, while chicken has become more popular in the French diet. Last year, the average meat consumption in France was 83.5 kg carcass equivalent per inhabitant, according to a statistical note from Agreste, the Ministry of Agriculture’s statistical service, and FranceAgriMer.
While total meat consumption has increased over the past twenty years, it has not kept pace with population growth as people are eating less meat on average. Beef consumption has seen a significant decline, dropping by 19% from 2003 to last year. The measurement of meat consumption in kg carcass equivalent includes fat and bones, which may not accurately reflect actual consumption.
During a period of high inflation between 2022 and 2023, total meat consumption decreased by 1.4%, following two years of increase post-Covid-19. Meat imports also fell by 1.4% over a year but remain high, accounting for over 30% of total meat consumption in France. Chicken consumption has been on the rise, with chicken meat making up 28% of total meat consumption in 2023, compared to 14% in 2003.
The French now consume an average of 23.3 kg carcass equivalent of chicken, compared to 12.1 kg twenty years ago. To meet domestic demand for chicken, France is increasingly importing chicken meat, with imports covering 50% of chicken meat consumption in 2023, primarily from Poland and Belgium.