QUICK FACTS

BEEF IS CANADA'S FAVOURITE:
Beef is the top selling product category at retail, representing 6.7% of store sales. It outsells the nearest grocery product category, soft drinks, by more than double. (Canadian Council of Grocery Distributors and ACNielsen).

Beef is the top selling entree at foodservice, representing 20% of meals eaten in restaurants. Beef is served more often than chicken and pork combined. (Crest Canada)

Beef accounts for 35.1% of every meat dollar spent at retail. (1992 Family Food Expenditure Survey)

Beef is the most popular food on the barbecue. 40% of respondents most often grill steak 24% grill hamburgers. (Weber Canadian Barbecue Survey, 1995)

CONSUMPTION 95% of Canadians eat beef regularly.(Consumer Segmentation Study, 1992) Beef is consumed more often for lunch and dinner than any other meat/poultry/fish. (Actionable Market Research, 1996)

Consumption data are often misunderstood or misinterpreted. Statistics Canada figures are based on disappearance figures, that is, the amount of product that "disappears" into the system each year. The figures shift up and down, reflecting available supplies in any given year. They do not include losses and wastes, nor do they accurately represent what we eat. Within the industry, consumption figures are used to track trends.

The numbers can be quoted as carcass weights (complete with fat and bone), retail weights, (which represent the manner of trim most often found at retail) and boneless. For example, most retail cuts of beef are boneless whereas retail cuts of chicken contain bone. Comparing retail weights of beef to those of chicken gives an unrealistic picture of how much we eat of each. Boneless comparisons give a truer picture.

Throughout the 90's, beef consumption has remained relatively stable.