Skip to main content
Ethics-Sociology-Philosophy

German consumers willing to pay more for improved animal welfare

By May 27, 2021June 9th, 2021No Comments

Document type : Article published on the Pig333 website

Preview: The Nutrition Report 2021 highlights that meat consumption is falling in Germany and animal welfare is gaining importance.

Federal Minister for Food and Agriculture Julia Klöckner has presented the Nutrition Report 2021, conducted by the Forsa Institute. Every year, the Federal Ministry's representative survey shows the eating and shopping habits of Germans.

Key findings:

  1. Diet should be healthy - the Nutri-Score label is fundamental

- 91% of survey respondents believe that food should be healthy.

- 45% of those who looked at the Nutri-Score label on the packaging confirm that the product rating influenced their purchasing decision (the label was introduced in Germany two months before the survey).

- More attention is also paid to the addition of sugar in processed foods and finished products: 83% are in favour of adding less sugar to products.

  1. Less meat consumption - animal welfare is increasingly more important

- 86% of respondents consider it important or very important to have a state or independent animal welfare label.

- Consumers would be willing to pay more for better animal welfare.

- Daily consumption of meat and sausages decreased to 26% (34% in 2015).

- 10% describe themselves as vegetarians and 2% as vegans. Thus, 88% of respondents do not give up meat.

- According to 71% of respondents, the main reason for buying vegetarian or vegan alternative products is curiosity. For 14-29 year olds, this reason is 83%.

- In general, it can be said that the acceptance of vegetarian or vegan alternatives is highly dependent on age. Younger people embrace them more frequently. In contrast, 74% of consumers over 60 say they have never bought such products.

Summary of the German government's report: https://www.deutschland.de/en/topic/life/nutrition-report-2021-how-sustainably-the-germans-eat

Logo of the Pig333 website
From the Pig333 website