Animal welfare: Majority of consumers are willing to pay higher prices – Economy

The survey shows: 58 percent of those surveyed would spend more money if higher standards were met, 25 percent would not. 17 percent did not provide any information or did not want to commit. Almost 11,400 people aged 18 and over took part in the survey. The willingness to pay for more animal welfare varies depending on the target group. Men (31 percent) and people over 44 (28 percent) are more likely to reject higher prices than women and people under 25 (20 percent each). There are also big differences in income. Consumers with a household net income of 3,000 euros or more are significantly more open to higher prices (67 percent) than those with incomes between 1,500 and 3,000 euros (56 percent) or less (49 percent).

“Animal welfare is an important issue for many consumers. Consumers weigh things up when they make a decision – especially against the price,” said YouGov market researcher Frieder Schmid. As meat prices rise, it can be expected that consumers will either buy more cautiously or resort to cheaper offers. The results of the survey are almost identical to a survey on the topic a year and a half ago. At that time, 59 percent were willing to pay higher prices, while 23 percent rejected this.

Data from YouGov now also shows: one in two households consciously tried to reduce meat consumption in 2023. The quantity purchased has decreased significantly since 2018. At the same time, the share of spending on meat in everyday consumer goods has only fallen slightly. Financially strong households and younger consumers in particular have often switched to more expensive and higher quality meat. The supermarket chains and discounters want to gradually switch to husbandry levels 3 (outdoor climate) and 4 (premium) in the coming years. To achieve this, higher standards such as more space and options for exercise must be met. To ensure this, many farmers have to invest in converting their stables. As a result, it is to be expected that consumers will have to pay higher prices for meat.