Meat substitutes continue to trend in Germany
Meat production decreased by 8% in value in the same period
19 May 2022
2 minute read
By: According to Destatis Statistische Bundesamt, the vegetarian and vegan meat alternative market is booming. In 2021, German companies produced almost 17.0% more meat substitutes compared to the previous year. Compared to 2019, production even increased by 62.2%, according to the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis).
In 2021, 97,900 tons of meat substitutes were produced, in the previous year it was around 83,700 tons and two years earlier 60 400 tons. The value of these products increased by 22.2% in 2021 compared to the previous year to €458.2 million (2020: €374.9 million). Compared to 2019, the value increased by 68.0%. At that time, it was €272.8 million. The number of companies that produce in Germany also increased from 34 in 2019 and 2020 to 44 in 2021.
Despite this increase, the value of meat substitutes is relatively low compared to meat products. In 2021, the value of meat and meat products produced in Germany amounted to €35.6 billion - and thus around 80 times the value of meat substitutes. Since 2019, however, a decline has been observed in the value of meat products - for the second year in a row. In 2021, it fell by 7.8% compared to the previous year, by 11.3% compared to 2019. In 2019, the value of meat production in Germany had reached the highest value in ten years at 40.1 billion euros.
In Germany, less and less meat has been consumed in recent years. According to the Federal Institute for Agriculture and Food (BLE), per capita consumption was 55.0 kilograms per capita in 2021. This was a decrease of 12% compared to 2011 (62.8 kilos per capita) and the lowest value since the start of the calculation in 1989.
