Pork consumption in Germany has fallen to an 11 year low, as the nation is cutting back on the world-recognized Bratwurst and hot dogs in favor for more vegetables. Bloomberg News reports Germans last year consumed the smallest amount of pork since at least 2005, and the drop will continue in 2017. Pork still accounts for more than half the meat eaten in Europe’s top economy, but pork is losing market share to poultry and beef and competing more with vegetarian options at shops and restaurants. The shift, according to researchers, reflects changing German attitudes about healthier diets and climate-friendly, sustainable food production. There’s also been an influx of refugees who don’t eat pork. Total pork consumption in Germany has plunged 10 percent since 2011, to about two million tons last year, according to data compiled by researcher Euromonitor International. Over the same period, demand has increased in neighboring Poland, France, and Austria.
From the National Association of Farm Broadcasting News Service.