Animal Lives Affected by Meat Consumption Trends in the G20 Countries
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Institute of Environmental Sciences (CML), Leiden University, 2333 CC Leiden, The Netherlands
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Institute of Public Administration, Leiden University, P.O. Box 13228, 2501 EE Den Haag, The Netherlands
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Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Animals 2024, 14(11), 1662; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14111662
Submission received: 29 April 2024
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Revised: 25 May 2024
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Accepted: 27 May 2024
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Published: 1 June 2024
(This article belongs to the Section Animal Products)
Simple Summary
Animal-source foods, such as meat, inevitably affect the animals used for their production. The amount of animal-source foods consumed also influences how many individual animals are affected. Globally increasing consumption can have serious consequences for animal welfare. This study aims to quantify how the number of animals affected by meat consumption has developed over time in the past decades within the G20 countries and how it is likely to develop further by 2030. The number of animal lives affected is increasing due to increasing meat consumption, but the size of the changes differs among countries and animal categories. The number of animals affected increases faster in emerging countries, such as China, than in more industrialized countries, such as Germany. Poultry birds, which yield less meat per animal, are affected by far the most. A shift towards even more poultry implies that the number of animals affected grows substantially faster than meat consumption. Until 2030, we can expect further increases in the number of animals affected due to the increasing meat consumption and share of poultry meat. The findings highlight the need for stronger regulations and a more informed and conscientious global dialogue to steer food systems toward a more sustainable and animal-friendly future.
Abstract
Trends in dietary habits have far-reaching implications, but their impact on animals remains insufficiently explored, as many people continue to dissociate meat from individual animal lives. This research study quantifies the temporal development of the number of animal lives affected by meat consumption within the G20 countries between 1961 and 2020 and forecasts for 2030. Production (including slaughter) and historical and projected food balance data were analyzed to explore these trends. The results indicate an increase in the number of animal lives affected due to increasing consumption, but discrepancies exist between different countries and animal categories. Increases are stronger in emerging countries, such as China, than in more industrialized countries, such as Germany. Overall, the number of animals affected grows 1.7 times as fast as meat consumption due to a shift towards poultry. Poultry birds are affected by far the most, and their dominance in number only slightly reduces when considering the differentiated moral values of the animals, reflecting their sentience. Until 2030, we can expect further increases in the number of animal lives affected. The findings highlight the need for progressive legislation to address the complex trade-offs and challenges in reversing the increasing trends in the number of animals affected.
