Poultry consumption in Australia - Data and Analysis (1974-2034)

IBISWorld expects per capita poultry consumption to climb by 0.6% to 54.3 kilograms during 2026-27. The wide availability and affordable nature of poultry will lift consumption. Poultry consumption is expected to outpace population growth, as ongoing cost-of-living pressures continue to incentivise chicken consumption over other, more costly protein options. Greater health consciousness has also aided demand for more expensive free-range poultry products.Chicken is the most popular meat in Australia and has overtaken all other types of meat consumption, including beef and veal, lamb and mutton and pig meat, since 2004-05. Chicken meat is perceived to be a healthier option than many red meats, thanks to its relatively low-fat content. Over the past two decades, poultry has grown enormously as a share of total meat consumption. Poultry consumption represented 25.0% of total meat consumption in 1992-93 and is expected to account for around 52.7% in 2026-27. Australians typically consume more chicken than beef, veal and pig meat combined. The volatility from the Russia-Ukraine conflict destabilised grain prices, which play a significant role in poultry feed costs, lifting poultry prices over the two years through 2022-23 and placing downward pressure on consumption. Improved supply chain conditions have eased input and poultry costs, supporting a resumption in consumption growth as cost-of-living pressures mount.The production of poultry is affected by input costs. Feed grain and oilseed prices can cause farmers to adjust production levels. The price of feed grain and oilseeds is affected by variable weather conditions. Even so, prices for poultry are relatively stable compared with other types of meat. Most poultry birds are housed in sheds, so production is less susceptible to weather than grass-fed livestock, like beef and lamb. Poultry processing is also dominated by two large, vertically integrated companies with significant production scales, Inghams and Baiada Poultry, which helps maintain price stability. This price stability makes poultry consumption less volatile than the consumption of other meats, like lamb.Poultry consumption has risen over the past five years. Increasing beef and lamb prices have encouraged consumers to purchase less expensive poultry products amid inflationary and cost-of-living pressures. This trend demonstrates consumers' willingness to substitute poultry for other meats when relative prices change. For instance, poultry consumption declined in 2017-18, while the price of red meats grew only slightly, and the price of pig meat plunged. Constrained output due to drought conditions also led to falling consumption in 2019-20. Ongoing trends toward veganism and vegetarianism have constrained steeper growth in poultry consumption over the period. However, rising health consciousness has been the most significant non-price factor in the increased consumption of leaner protein sources, like chicken. IBISWorld expects poultry consumption to rise at a compound annual rate of 1.6% over the five years through 2026-27.