Germany and Sweden seem to be one of the few countries to have demonstrated an actual reduction in meat consumption. In Sweden, since 1980, the total consumption of meat has increased by 23% per person per year, but in recent years it has decreased and it was 78.6 kg per person in 2020. From 1980 until 2020, the total consumption of drinking milk has decreased by 59% and it was 65.8 litters per person in 2020. However, during the same period, the consumption of cheese increased by 40% to 19.7 kg per person in 2020.
In 2011, the average German citizen ate 138 pounds of meat per year, but now it has dropped by 12.3%, eating around 121 pounds of animal protein per year. Research by ProVeg International conducted in March 2022 suggests that 51% of the German population had reduced their meat intake in the previous year. Also, research from the Smart Protein Project suggested that in 2020, the sales value of plant-based food increased by 97%.
A poll conducted by Veganz showed that, between 2016 and 2020, the number of people following a plant-based diet in Germany doubled to 2.6 million. Even Oktoberfest, the world’s largest Volksfest held annually in Munich, featuring a beer festival and being famous for selling upwards of 400,000 sausages, now also offers plant-based options. On their website, they write “Vegan dishes are also available in a wide selection at the Wiesn. For example, you have access to organic sauerkraut strudel, pan-fried vegetables with tomato puree, and lamb’s lettuce on a kohlrabi carpaccio. Popular meat replacement dishes such as quinoa (on a pea and mint puree) or a soy steak (with caramelized onions) can be found in the large and small tents, and are likely to please even Oktoberfest visitors who haven’t dedicated themselves to a meat-free diet.”
