It is clear that meat is ingrained into the German diet, with 93% of Germans eating/buying processed meat. Meatballs cooked from raw, and cooked and sliced meats are the most popular formats – consumed as part of packed lunches and home-cooked meals.
However, political and societal pressures (animal welfare, sustainability and health) continue to propel the meat reduction trend, with 51% of processed meat eaters/buyers reducing the amount of processed meat per serving or reducing the number of eating occasions.
75% of eaters/buyers think most sausages/burgers and breaded meat products are highly processed, creating an opportunity to add natural and BFY cues to such products. Brands can communicate natural, clean label (eg no nitrates) and high/source of protein to improve the category’s highly processed image.
High-quality meat and animal welfare support are the main attributes for which processed meat eaters/buyers would pay the highest premium (82%). This highlights how premiumisation and quality is important to conscious meat users. Equally, frozen, ‘nose-to-tail’/lesser known types/cuts and hybrid formats could appeal from cost, health and sustainability perspectives too.
This report looks at the following areas:
- Market context and drivers for processed poultry/red meat, including the aftermath of high inflation, alongside environmental and health factors
- Consumption of processed meat products, change in consumption since 2022 and purchase by storage type
- Change in purchase behaviours, with high-quality meats and continued expectation for high animal welfare high on buyers’ agendas
- Price premium people are willing to pay for processed meats with eco-ethical, premium and healthy attributes
- Attitudes towards processed meats, including products being too processed and checking of ingredients lists
- Product launch activity and innovations; market share, size and forecast
Prioritise high-quality, healthy, ‘greener’ and higher animal welfare attributes for long-term category growth.
Adam Millward, Research – Mintel Reports
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
- The five year outlook for processed poultry and red meat
- Market context
- Meat remains entrenched in German culture
- Short- and long-term price pressures will continue to dampen demand for processed meat
- Political pressures will see a shift towards sustainable nutrition, pushing the 'green' and plant-based agenda
- Graph 1: red meat/poultry consumption (% of consumers), 2024
- Mintel predicts
- Market size & forecast
- Volume sales will continue to steady, yet price rises will soften the impact on value
- 'Fitspiration' and high-protein trend will slowdown
- Price rises/premiumisation will help value sales and offset a drop in volume
- A continued long-term downward trend in volume sales is forecast
- Opportunities
- Boost processed meat's value perception, honing in on frozen formats as versatile, low-budget options
- Counter processed meat's negative perceptions
- Publicise locality and support of farmers
- The competitive landscape
- Private label continues to be the dominant force in the processed meat market
- Graph 2: company value shares in processed meat, 2022-23
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MARKET DRIVERS
- The German economy
- 2024 remains challenging
- Graph 3: key economic data, in real terms, 2019-25
- The inflation rate is bouncing back to more conventional levels
- Inflation is still the key factor affecting consumers' finances…
- …confidence and expenditure
- Graph 4: financial confidence index, 2022-24
- Inflation rate at +1.3% for meat & meat products in spring 2024
- Animal welfare standards will raise quality yet reduce meat output and influence prices/purchasing decisions
- Health risks will continue to impact the processed/red meat sub-category
- More meat alternatives will continue to lure flexitarians away from meat
- Graph 5: frequency of eating meat substitutes in the last six months, 2022
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WHAT CONSUMERS WANT AND WHY
- Processed meat consumption
- Increase in consumption of processed meat
- Graph 6: types of processed meat products eaten in the last three months, 2022 and 2024
- Younger Millennials are most engaged with cured meats
- Graph 7: types of processed meats eaten in the last three months, by generation, 2024
- Types of processed meat products eaten
- Increase in use of processed meats cooked from raw
- Raw meat showcases consumption increase in 2024 vs 2022
- Graph 8: types of processed meat products eaten in the last three months, cooked from raw, 2022 and 2024
- Meatballs continue to be the most consumed meat cooked from raw
- The fanfare for burgers continues, flat patties witness NPD thanks to the rise of the smash burger
- Consumption of burgers, bacon and sausages declines with age
- Graph 9: consumption of burgers, bacon and sausages (cooked from raw) in the last three months, by gender and age, 2024
- Cooked/RTE meats saw increased consumption in 2024 vs 2022
- Graph 10: types of cooked/ready-to-eat processed meat products eaten in the last three months, 2022 & 2024
- Generational differences towards cooked/RTE processed meats
- Cooked meat pieces align with healthier finances
- Financial differences towards cooked/RTE processed meats
- Parents with children aged 12-15 are a key audience for cooked/RTE sliced meats and breaded/battered processed meats
- Men outnumber women for processed meat consumption
- Graph 11: types of raw and cooked/ready-to-eat processed meat products eaten in the last three months, by gender, 2024
- Cooked & sliced meats are popular amongst both men and women; bacon and sausages are less widely consumed by women
- Processed meats to enjoy hot or cold
- Purchase of processed meat by storage type
- Frozen processed meat sees increased usage in 2024 vs 2022
- Graph 12: processed meat bought in the last three months, by storage type, 2022 and 2024
- Changes in purchase behaviours and consumption of processed meats
- Quality attributes in processed meat align to consumer needs
- Graph 13: processed meat behaviours consumers have followed in the last three months, 2024
- Ability to trade up to higher quality still dependent on finances
- High-quality meats appeal to younger Germans
- UK retailer Waitrose introduces highest standard supermarket British wagyu beef to its top-tier range
- Women more likely than men to have reduced their processed meat intake
- Emphasise 'less but better' alongside NPD in processed poultry to support category growth
- Gen Z/Millennials are making more eco-conscious processed meat choices
- Locally sourced and processed appeals to three in 10 users
- Willingness to pay more for processed meat products with select attributes
- Organic is considered least worthy of higher prices
- Graph 14: incremental price increases consumers would be willing to pay more for processed meat products, 2024
- Willingness to pay more for ethical and/or premium aspects
- Graph 15: overall willingness to pay more for processed meat with select features, 2024
- Use air frying technology to modernise processed meat and advocate fat reduction
- Good prospects for future price increases
- Graph 16: willingness to pay more than 20% more for processed meat products with selected attributes, Gen Z vs Baby Boomers, 2024
- Attitudes towards ingredients and cooking of processed meat products
- German consumers think sausages/burgers and breaded meat products are highly processed
- Graph 17: attitudes towards ingredients and cooking of processed meat products, 2024
- Clean up ingredient declarations alongside quality and sustainable advocation
- Younger male consumers would like more information on how to best use canned/jarred meat products
- Graph 18: consumers who would like more information on how best to use canned/jarred meat products (yes), by gender and age, 2024
- More scope for international flavours in processed meats
- Health and ethical attitudes towards processed meat products
- The improved health and ethical agenda of processed meats shows no sign of abating
- Graph 19: health and ethical attitudes towards processed meat products, 2024
- Consumers are more appreciative of farmers following their protests
- Younger consumers resonate with processed meat products that contain vitamins & minerals
- Target health-conscious consumers with meat-veg hybrids
- Promote lesser-known cuts and game meat as more sustainable
- Despite early signs of nitrate-free NPD, Germany shows minimal innovation
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LAUNCH ACTIVITY AND INNOVATION
- Animal welfare claims continue to take the lead
- Graph 20: processed poultry and meat launches by leading eco-ethical claims, 2022-24
- Brands and retailers continue to secure high animal welfare
- More sustainable options include lesser-known cuts and offal
- Decline in organic claims
- The sustainable packaging agenda remains important
- Allergen-free claims see an increase
- Graph 21: processed poultry and meat launches by leading claims (exc eco-ethical) , 2022-24
- More free-from choice is available
- Communicate quality credentials
- Sous vide offers pre-cooked convenience and quality
- Reduced fat positionings align to the BFY movement…
- …as do meat-centric offerings nutritionally boosted with vegetables
- Smokey flavours are popular
- Graph 22: processed poultry and meat launches by flavour component *, 2022-24
- Brands innovate with fiery chilli heat and the BBQ occasion
- International flavours and formats of processed meats
- Sausages are diversifying, shaking up this sub-category
- 'Other cooked/RTE' formats are evolving
- Meat pastes and pâtés are showcasing newness in flavour and form
- Event merchandising: UEFA Euros summer NPD
- Target solo households with portionable formats for one and multi-packs for larger homes
- Advertising and marketing activity
- Reinert Nuggetz showcases creative and convenient recipes online
- Eberswaler Wurst communicates good animal welfare
- ALDI SÜD advocates value with meals for <€5
- ALDI Nord showcases quick and easy to make recipes
- Established processed meat brand Gutfried ventures into the realm of plant-based
- Meat manufacturer Rügenwalder Mühle ventures into plant-based meats for kids…
- …and delivers YouTube 'shorts' to promote to parents
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MARKET SHARE
- Market share of processed meat
- Own label value sales dominance continues
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MARKET SIZE, SEgmentation AND FORECAST
- Volume forecast for 2024 is +0.4% due to continued income squeeze, but price rises ensure value growth
- Retail value sales of processed meat, by segment, 2021-23
- Retail and other volume sales of processed meat, by segment, 2021-23
- Long-term, volume sales will decline, but forecast price rises will continue to soften the impact on value sales
- Processed meat volume sales forecast to decline by 7% from 2023-29
- Processed meat retail value sales forecast to increase by 13% from 2023-29
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APPENDIX
- Appendix – products covered, abbreviations, consumer research methodology and language usage
- Products covered in this Report
- Abbreviations
- Consumer research methodology
- A note on language
- Appendix – market size and central forecast methodology
- Forecast methodology
- Forecast methodology – fan chart
- Market size – value
- Market size – volume
- Market forecast and prediction intervals – value
- Market forecast and prediction intervals – volume
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