For several decades, the Swedes' carnivores have increased and increased. But in 2017 a trend break occurred, when meat consumption fell from 87.7 kg per person per year to 85.7. Last year it had dropped further to 83.5 kg and person.

The Swedish Agricultural Agency has now produced figures for meat consumption for the first half of 2019 and the trend is continuing. During the first six months of the year, meat consumption decreased by 3.1 percent compared to the same period last year.

- In recent years, a generally growing interest in sustainability issues has affected our food consumption. Sustainable food is a complex concept and what drives consumers to review their eating habits varies. Some focus on the environment, while health or animal ethics may be important to others. Most people, for example, are aware that the production of animal food contributes to greater greenhouse gas emissions than vegetable production does, but that it also varies between species and countries, says Åsa Lannhard Öberg, agricultural policy investigator at the Swedish Board of Agriculture.

Consumer more carefully

In addition to eating a little less meat, the proportion of Swedish meat is increasing. In other words, it is mainly the consumption of imported meat that is decreasing the most. Since Sweden joined the EU, imported meat has increased, but now the wind has turned.

- The consumers who eat meat or other foods from the animal kingdom are more accurate with the origin today than in the past, that the animals must have lived under good conditions and that they should not have received antibiotics unnecessarily. This benefits Swedish, locally produced meat, says Åsa Lannhard Öberg.

Still very chicken

In the long run, more people choose to eat chicken. The proportion of food birds in total meat consumption has increased in recent decades. But now the consumption of food birds is also declining, although the proportion is still historically high.

- The increase is due to a combination of factors. Chicken is affordable, light and quick cooked, has neutral taste and is eaten in all religions. Product development has provided many new ways to eat chicken. In addition, chicken has a lower climate impact than other types of meat, says Åsa Lannhard Öberg.

The figures obtained by the Swedish Agricultural Agency show the consumption of meat in slaughtered weight. It is not the same thing as actual consumption, but what is needed to meet our consumption.