After a period of decline in meat consumption, Germany's meat industry is bouncing back with optimism for the new year. According to Hubert Kelliger, a board member of the German Meat Industry Association (VDF), over 90% of people consider meat as an essential food source. Despite a slight dip in some product categories, the sector is benefiting from higher prices due to increased sales.
The VDF, which represents major slaughterhouse operators like Tönnies, Westfleisch, Danish Crown, and Vion, expects a robust Christmas season and a stabilizing trend in the upcoming year. Gereon Schulze Althoff, another VDF board member, highlighted the gradual improvement in meat's reputation, with consumers once again showing interest in animal-based foodstuffs.
Credit for the industry's renewed optimism can be attributed to a consumer survey conducted by the GfK Consumer Panel in 2023. The study found that 61% of Germans view meat as an indispensable component of their diet, marking a 4-percentage point increase from the previous year. Furthermore, an increasing demand and a "return to the past" are observed among younger generations, debunking notions of a dietary transformation or the abandonment of meat consumption by specific age groups in the foreseeable future.
Contrary to these positive indicators, statistics from the Federal Statistical Office reveal that meat production in Germany has significantly dwindled in recent years. In the first half of 2023, the production volume decreased by 5.9% compared to the same period the previous year, and it had already dropped by 8% from 2022.
Investments in automation and modernization, the growing demand for high-protein products, shifting dietary preferences, economic factors, and export market potential all contribute to the optimism in the German meat industry. Despite ongoing challenges, these factors suggest an anticipated rise in meat consumption and sales for 2023.
