The 15th annual Power of Meat study takes “and in-depth look at meat through the shopper’s eye.”
“The Power of Meat is a thorough examination of consumer behavior and reflects the value of meat and poultry to retailers,” said Julie Anna Potts, North American Meat Institute President and CEO. “The survey affirms the ongoing work of the industry to improve trust in animal protein is welcomed by consumers and useful to retailers.”
Overall, sales of meat by private brands in the United States grew 12.3 percent year-over-year from 2018, bringing total meat sales in the U.S. to more than $50 billion.
The most important thing to shoppers going into 2020 is nutrition, with 58 percent of consumers saying that was a topic of importance to them. Additionally, 57 percent of shoppers said a brand’s food safety practices were important to them, 46 percent said animal care practices are important and 40 percent said environmental inpact was important.
The report does state that environmental sustainability is affecting protein choices. About 34 percent of consumers believe livestock have a negative impact on the planet but 49 percent believe if done properly, it does not.
“The industry has an opportunity to improve the availability of unbiased environmental impact information to educate on steps taken to protect the planet,” the report states.
The study also found that most Americans don’t want to cut meat out of the diet entirely, preferring smaller portions and more specific cuts of meat.
“One of the most compelling storylines in the analysis is that 83% of shoppers purchase specific cuts of meat and they are eating smaller portions, but with total volume sales up slightly, that means they are eating less more often,” Food and Meat Institute Vice President Rick Stein said.
You can see the top findings here.