In 2018, consumption of beef per capita amounted to around 25.4 kilograms in Canada. This figure is forecast to decrease to 24.4 kilograms in 2020. This expected decrease follows a long-term downward trend: in the year 1980, consumption per capita was 38.8 kilograms.

Why is beef consumption declining?

Whilst almost 50 percent of Canadian consume meat or meat containing products daily, a fair share of consumers are also reducing or eliminating meat entirely from their diet according to a recent generational survey. It was revealed that some 33 percent of Baby Boomers and 29 percent of Millennials were working towards eating less meat or a completely meat-free diet. Additionally, some Canadians are actively avoiding specifically beef and other red meat in their diets. Females aged over 55 are the demographic most likely to be avoiding such foods, followed by females aged between 18 and 34. Leading motives given for reducing or stopping beef consumption completely include financial, health and food safety and environmental reasons.