In 2023, around 140 million tons of poultry meat were consumed worldwide, making it the most consumed type of meat globally. Pork was the second most consumed meat worldwide, followed by beef and veal.
Leading consumers
The per capita consumption of meat is forecast to grow in every part of the world by 2031. OECD countries had the highest per capita consumption of meat from 2019 to 2021, at 69.5 kilograms of retail weight per person. The world average per capita consumption is only about 34.1 kilograms.
Shift towards meat substitutes
Meat production is a significant greenhouse gas emitter and beef specifically emits more greenhouse gases than any other food product. Because of this and other climate change threats caused by meat production, such as deforestation, meat alternatives have been on the rise. It is projected that by 2040, 25 percent of all “meat” consumed will be vegan meat alternatives and only 40 percent of consumption will be from traditionally produced meat.
Meat consumption worldwide from 1990 to 2023, by meat type*
(in million tons)
*Meat consumption is measured in million metric tons of carcass weight (except for poultry expressed as ready to cook weight). Carcass weight to retail weight conversion factors are: 0.7 for beef and veal, 0.78 for pig meat, and 0.88 for both sheep meat and poultry meat.
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OECD. (July 30, 2022). Meat consumption worldwide from 1990 to 2023, by meat type* (in million tons) [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved February 18, 2025, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/274522/global-per-capita-consumption-of-meat/?__sso_cookie_checker=failed
OECD. "Meat consumption worldwide from 1990 to 2023, by meat type* (in million tons)." Chart. July 30, 2022. Statista. Accessed February 18, 2025. https://www.statista.com/statistics/274522/global-per-capita-consumption-of-meat/?__sso_cookie_checker=failed
OECD. (2022). Meat consumption worldwide from 1990 to 2023, by meat type* (in million tons). Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: February 18, 2025. https://www.statista.com/statistics/274522/global-per-capita-consumption-of-meat/?__sso_cookie_checker=failed
OECD. "Meat Consumption Worldwide from 1990 to 2023, by Meat Type* (in Million Tons)." Statista, Statista Inc., 30 Jul 2022, https://www.statista.com/statistics/274522/global-per-capita-consumption-of-meat/?__sso_cookie_checker=failed
OECD, Meat consumption worldwide from 1990 to 2023, by meat type* (in million tons) Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/274522/global-per-capita-consumption-of-meat/?__sso_cookie_checker=failed (last visited February 18, 2025)
Meat consumption worldwide from 1990 to 2023, by meat type* (in million tons) [Graph], OECD, July 30, 2022. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/274522/global-per-capita-consumption-of-meat/?__sso_cookie_checker=failed