In the first nine months of the year in Argentina, domestic consumption of beef has decreased by 11.3% compared to the same period last year, reaching 1.646 million tons of bone-in beef. This has led to apparent beef consumption per capita averaging 46.8 kilos per person during this same period, marking a reduction of 12.3% compared to the previous year, equivalent to 6.6 kilos less per inhabitant, according to a report from the Chamber of the Meat Industry and Trade (CICCRA), and has been recorded as the lowest level in the last 26 years.
The cost of having an asado in Argentina has increased by nearly 120% since January, reflecting a rise above the inflation rate during the year. A study by the Center for Argentine Political Economy (CEPA) revealed that, although various cuts of meat have seen an average monthly increase below inflation (0.6%), the cumulative rise over the first ten months of the year reached 119.3%. This has made sharing an asado on weekends a luxury in a context of declining purchasing power for many Argentine families.
According to a survey by the consulting firm Moiguer, 65% of respondents have had to reduce their daily consumption amid the crisis, including the Argentine tradition of having asados. 71% have stopped having family asados, 61% have canceled outings with partners or family, 58% have canceled outings for coffee or ice cream, 56% no longer buy sweets, and 55% have stopped buying soft drinks. Additionally, 48% of respondents have had to dip into their savings to cover daily expenses and 52% have incurred debts.
Overall, the economic outlook has led 83% of Argentines to reduce or eliminate the purchase of regular products, reflecting a deterioration in households' consumption capacity. 41% of respondents indicate that they have not made luxury expenses, such as buying sweets, chocolates, candies, or soft drinks, while a significant percentage perceives the country's situation negatively and considers the possibility of an economic crisis to be high.
