The price increases of beef and chicken impacted grills in April. However, approximately 12% of the population, whether vegan or vegetarian, decided not to consume dead animals. These data emerged from a study commissioned by the Argentine Vegan Union and conducted by Insights Kantar.
In the last month, the main price increases for meat were observed in whole chicken (10.7%), osso buco, top round, and shoulder (6.5%). Certain representative cuts of domestic consumption, such as asado (61.6%) and vacuum (63.3%), showed increases exceeding the general average for beef. Specifically, the loin registered the highest year-on-year increase at 68.4%.
Cuts referred to as 'intermediate' showed the highest increase, averaging 4.7%. This was followed by 'economic' cuts with a 4.6% increase and 'expensive' cuts with a 3.6% increase.
The reduction in per capita consumption was reflected in the comparison of per capita meat intake compared to the same month of the previous year, decreasing by 2.7%, according to the Chamber of the Meat Industry and Commerce (CICCRA). This decline was a consequence of a price increase of 60.1% for cuts in the same period, surpassing the general level of INDEC by 13.4 points.
The cumulative increase in the last six months was 53%, attributed in part to the historical record of beef exports, which caused an internal price increase for the product. The organization CEPA concludes that the meat not consumed in Argentina was destined for the external market.
Inflation in meat affected alternative products such as chicken, which recorded a 10.7% increase in April. This marked a significant increase compared to March and contributed to the rise in the cost of living index, interrupting the previous downward trend.
The impact on domestic beef consumption is mainly attributed to the decrease in purchasing power of wages from November 2023 to February 2025, according to the CEPA Center. Registered wages in the INDEC Salary Index reflect a real contraction of 4.9% compared to the level of November 2023.
Despite Argentina being 10 points below the global average in vegan food consumption according to CEOWORLD magazine, it still ranks seventh in the international landscape.
