21 April 2016

2 minute read

Although meat consumption recorded a year on year increase, Euromonitor International figures indicate that beef and veal consumption declined in most parts of the developed world last year.

In the United States beef and veal consumption declined by 249.6 tonnes (t) or 3 per cent in 2015 compared to 2014 figures.

In western Europe, beef and veal meat declined by 0.3 per cent and 1 per cent - that’s according to Anastasia Alieva, head of fresh food research at Euromonitor International.

“Demand for meat has been driven by emerging markets where increased prosperity and rising populations resulted in a growing consumption of relatively expensive meat,” Anastasia Alieva said.

Red Meat Health Fears

Anastasia Alieva also claimed that one of the reasons for the decline in beef and veal consumption across European could be linked to mounting health concerns linking red meat to cardiovascular disorders and colon cancer.

In October 2015, World Health Organisation highlighted these concerns by announcing that bacon, sausage and other processed meats cause cancer and that red meat probably does, too.

The WHO came to this conclusion after a panel of 22 international experts reviewed decades of research on the link between red meat, processed meats and cancer.

Despite the findings, organisations like the North American Meat Institute said the classification "defied common sense" and pointed to the numerous other activities declared by the organisation to cause cancer, such as sitting near a sun-filled window or doing shift work.

TheCattleSite News Desk