Beef off the table in US households: Shoppers swap it for chicken amid inflation

How long could inflation last in the US?

4:02

(CNN Business) ––

Shoppers in the United States, pressured by strong inflation, have stopped buying expensive cuts of beef and exchanged them for cheaper chicken in supermarkets.

• It's not just the price of food and fuel.

  Inflation is affecting almost everything

Tyson, the meat processing giant, said on Monday that "demand for chicken is extremely strong."

While demand for its higher-priced cuts of beef has decreased by comparison.

The company noted that the average selling price of chicken rose during the latest quarter, while the average price of beef and pork fell as consumers shied away from buying some premium cuts.

Meat prices soared in 2021, but some products have dropped in recent months.

• This key gauge of inflation hit a new 40-year high in June

Meat demand among consumers remained strong, Tyson said.

However, they are switching to other meat options due to inflation.

The company plans to launch new cheaper options.

and also adding new, larger package sizes for value-seeking consumers.

Tyson is not the only company that has identified changes in consumer buying habits.

US households are facing the highest inflation in more than 40 years and many must make concessions.

advertising

• Three reasons not to panic at a level of inflation not seen in decades

Kroger said in June that budget-minded shoppers were buying fewer items in stores, favoring cheaper Kroger brands over name brands.

He also indicated that they went from buying beef to pork.

Walmart noted in May that some consumers went from buying gallons of milk to just half a gallon and switched from brand-name lunches, luncheon meats, bacon and dairy products to private label.

Treehouse Foods, a leading maker of private label for Walmart and other retailers, also said Monday that private label was becoming a more attractive option for shoppers due to inflation.

BuyersInflation