Food sustainability in a context of inequalities: meat consumption changes in Brazil (2008–2017)

The responsibility and vulnerability of challenges in planetary health are unequally distributed across countries. In Brazil, meat carries an important cultural value even if from an environmental perspective its production is related to negative impacts. We explored Brazilian meat consumption over time, according to income groups from the perspective of the food inequalities and food justice and we analyzed its impacts on the environment. We used data from the 2008 and 2017 Household Budget Surveys to estimate meat intake and meat prices according to income level. The environmental impact indicators were based on the WWF Report. We analyzed the relationship between income, meat price, and its consumption by linear regression model. Brazilian meat intake was 86 g/1000 kcal in 2008, which is considered high intake and Brazilians increased meat intake by 12% from 2008 to 2017, with variations according to types of meat and income levels. Individuals of the lowest income stratum did not increase their meat consumption, and they spent around 17 times more of their income to buy one kilogram of beef compared to people from the highest income group. There was a significant positive relationship between purchasing power and intake of meat across income groups. In 2017, meat contributed to 86% of the Brazilian diet’s carbon footprint. In Brazil, relevant factors for meat intake may be associated with restricted purchasing power, food affordability, rising prices and income inequalities. Our findings indicate the relevance not only of food availability and intake but also the local variables such as socio-economic inequalities and cultural meanings food can assume.