Annual per capita consumption of meat in France 1970-2022, by kind of meat

Meat consumption in France has evolved between 1970 and 2022. The per capita consumption of pig meat amounted to 32.1 kg in 2022 and the consumption of poultry meat to 27.9 kg, out of a total of 85 kilograms of meat.  
Peak meat consumption per capita occurred in 1998. More broadly, the 986-2002 period is when the French consumed the most meat, with a minimum consumption, on average, of 90 kilogram per inhabitant per year. Since the beginning of the 2000s, overall meat consumption has been decreasing in French households. The French are turning more and more to poultry to the detriment of pork and beef.

Meat consumption in France

  A more recent survey from 2019 revealed that 38 percent of French people ate meat (pig, beef etc.) three to five times a week. The frequency of poultry meat consumption was once to twice a week for 57 percent of the people surveyed.  

Meat-free eating habits among French?

   In France, Meat-free eating habits seem to represent a minor part of dietary behavior in France. In 2018, 1.5 percent of men and 2.8 percent of women declared being vegetarian. Although the omnivore diet was the dominant one, about 40 percent of people surveyed stated following a flexitarian diet. Moreover, 40 percent of French were in favor of introducing vegetarian meals in catering services like canteens, restaurants etc. In addition to this, more than 50 percent of interviewed French supported the proposition of vegetarian meals at school caterings at least once a week.