Per capita beef consumption in Canada - Data and Analysis (1980-2032)

Beef consumption faces pressure in 2026 despite rising imports from earlier trade deals that expand availability on the market. Elevated prices and a growing consumer preference for chicken hold growth to a moderate pace. Low cattle herds keep base costs high, since rebuilding a herd takes years and constrains slaughter volumes in the interim, eroding beef's price competitiveness against alternatives that reach market faster. Beef remains a core meat staple in Canadian households, but affordability is starting to shift purchases toward chicken, cutting into sales and demand through the year. Michael von Massow, a food economist at the University of Guelph, noted that cheaper beef cuts continue to support demand, giving households a way to stay with the protein without absorbing the full price increase. That dynamic tempers the slowdown without reversing it. Consumption is set to rise 2.5% in 2026, a moderate gain rather than a reflection of unconstrained demand.Per capita beef consumption has slipped steadily for nearly three decades. According to Statistics Canada, the average Canadian consumed 40.2 kilograms of beef and veal in 1980, which fell to 23.8 kilograms in 2024. Beef consumption has dwindled as the health problems associated with it, such as obesity and heart disease, have become increasingly publicized. This lost consumption has primarily shifted to poultry, which is generally viewed as a lower-fat alternative for protein. While beef remains a staple of Canadian diets, per capita consumption of beef and veal have largely slumped through the five years to 2026.