In 2024, beef purchases accounted for a third of all meat purchases. This year, shoppers have bought far less: just 20 per cent of the total.
The amount of chicken they bought has increased: from 41.9 per cent to 47.5 per cent in 2026.
The average shop spend has also risen because shoppers have shifted towards membership-based discount stores (such as Sam’s Club – which is owned by Walmart – or Costco, for example): in 2024, the average shop spend was $66.13, compared with $72.31 this year
Below: beef from Costco.
