Recent changes and future expectations in meat consumption

A telephone survey was carried out in Uruguay in 2021 with 601 participants over 18 years of age. Participants answered a series of questions about the frequency of recent changes and future expectations in meat consumption. Responses were analysed according to gender, age, place of residence, and educational and socioeconomic level. The percentage of participants who increased (6%), maintained (50%), decreased (35%), and did not consume (9%) meat consumption was not affected by the sociodemographic variables studied (P>0.05). In the future, 65% of participants do not intend to alter their meat consumption, while 24% intended to reduce it, mostly women and people with a higher educational level (P<0.01). Thirty-three percent of the inteviewees were willing to substitute meat for proteins of vegetable origin, mainly women and people with a higher educational level (P<0.01). Only 17% of respondents would be willing to try meat analogues produced in laboratories or factories, mainly young people (under 30 years old) and those with higher education level. The proportion of people willing to pay more for meats that have labels/brands and are certified for animal welfare, grass-fed, organic, sustainable, traceable, without the use of antibiotics and growth promoters, and grain-fed were 65, 61, 60, 55, 50, 45, 43, and 18%, respectively. The attributes of organic production, care for animal welfare, and the non-use of antibiotics and growth promoters during production were particularly relevant for participants under 30 years old and those with a higher educational and socioeconomic level (P<0.05). Sustainable production is more relevant for older participants (P<0.05). Recent and future changes in meat consumption are differentially influenced by sociodemographic variables, and their better understanding can be used in designing public information strategies and promotion campaigns to promote meat consumption.