Measuring Meat Consumption Trends Using Supermarket Data
Evidence has shown demographic, geographical, and seasonal trends in meat consumption — for example, researchers often find that women and those living in urban areas tend to eat less meat than men and rural residents, while the types of meat consumed varies depending on the time of year.
Unfortunately, meat consumption research is often based on self-reported data, which relies on participants’ understanding and honesty. As a result, actual meat consumption trends may not fully depict reality. This study aimed to enhance the understanding of meat consumption habits using real food purchase data.
The authors relied on the “Tesco 1.0” dataset, an open-access record of food purchases at a major U.K. supermarket chain (Tesco). The dataset details the total volume of sales and the percentages of different food groups sold by weight for each of the 33 London boroughs. Food items were divided into 11 categories: dairy, eggs, fats and oils, fish, fruit and vegetables, grains, red meat, poultry, readymade, sauces, and sweets. The authors analyzed 420 million food items purchased by 1.6 million loyalty card holders at 411 Tesco stores across London during 2015.
The results revealed significant seasonal variation in dietary habits. The highest consumption of meat and animal products occurred in Spring and Summer. July and August had the highest percentage of food by weight coming from meat (14%), and July had the highest percentage of food coming from all animal products (24%). December had the lowest percentage of food by weight coming from meat (12%) and animal products (20%). In terms of transaction history, May saw the highest food sales overall, including meat, animal products, and plant products. August had the lowest food sales overall, whereas November saw the lowest sales of meat and animal products.
The authors pointed out that December may show a lower percentage of meat consumption because people tend to consume more food overall during the holiday season (e.g., candy and other sweets), making meat purchases appear artificially low. Furthermore, they weren’t surprised that overall food sales were lowest in August as many families go on vacation during the August school holidays.
The study also identified several demographic factors associated with higher meat consumption. As the authors expected, less meat was consumed in areas with higher population density, better self-reported health, and more Hindus. In fact, among the religious groups with rules around eating meat, all had lower meat consumption except Buddhists. However, this finding may be trivial given the small sample size of Buddhists. Lower-income men were found to purchase more meat, though these results were not significant.
Of particular interest, areas with older, less educated, and more conservative populations consumed less meat. These associations contradict existing research, which generally shows that vegetarians, vegans, and meat-reducers are more likely to be more educated and politically left-leaning. According to the authors, it’s possible that the results were limited by the dataset of food sales from just one supermarket; perhaps these demographics buy their meat at other stores. In addition, they point out that older people are often meat-reducers and eat less overall.
The study has a few limitations. For example, the data were taken from 2015 and are likely outdated. The researchers also only looked at purchases in London, where people may eat less meat overall compared to other areas. Finally, some of the food product categories were vague, as categories such as “sweets,” “fats and oils,” and “sauces” were listed separately from meat, dairy, and eggs even though they may contain animal products.
While the data may be outdated, the study offers helpful insights for animal advocates. For example, it may be useful to target the demographic groups associated with higher meat consumption. Similarly, advocates may consider launching dietary campaigns during the Spring and Summer when people consume high amounts of animal products.
https://doi.org/10.1186/s43170-023-00178-y