The eating habits of households in France have been more or less modified in recent years. There are several reasons for this, and some of these changes concern products that are deeply rooted in the culture, such as meat.
France Eats Less and Less Meat
According to statistics provided by French customs in 2020, for the second consecutive year, the total consumption of meat made available in the domestic market fell over one year (-1.5%). Consumption of butcher's meat fell by 2.1%. This sharp decline is part of the particular context of the health crisis but also of the downward trend recorded over the past ten years: - 0.4% on average per year between 2010 and 2019. The share in total meat consumption thus lost five points (67.1% in 2020, compared to 72.0% in 2010). If meat consumption is falling very visibly in France, it is also because of the awareness of new generations regarding animal welfare and environmental protection. 36% of 18-24 year olds believe that being vegan will eventually become the norm, compared to 16% of all French people.
The Green Food Revolution
Today, more and more French people want to take the step of veganism, a craze that can even be seen on home meal delivery platforms such as Deliveroo or Ubereats. In fact, in 2020, vegan orders increased by 38% on mobile applications. The offer also expanded between 2019 and 2020 with a 49% increase in the number of vegan restaurants, as well as a 44% increase in the number of vegan dishes offered by partner restaurants.
But the revolution is still far away. An IFOP survey carried out on a sample of 15,000 people shows that only 2.2% of French people questioned say they have adopted a meat-free diet (pescetarian, vegetarian, or vegan), whereas 24% actively limit their meat consumption and are classified as flexitarians. The remaining 74% are classified as omnivores that eat everything. Meat consumption remains deeply rooted in French culinary tradition, since meat occupies a central role in French gastronomy and is part of the heritage in the same way as baguettes and wine are. It will therefore take a few more years for the revolution to take full effect.
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