Global meat consumption by type, 2025-2055 This graph shows the expected change in meat production over the coming decades, based on expert interviews. For thousands of years, humans have relied on the slaughter of live animals, but a dramatic transformation is forecast in the near future. So-called "lab-grown" or cultured meat is predicted to be a highly disruptive industry, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of more than 40% between 2025 and 2040. Alongside this, novel vegan replacements will expand to become a substantial percentage of global consumption. Cultured meat and vegan replacements – combined – will overtake traditional meat production methods by the late 2030s, with cultured meat taking an increasingly dominant market share. Further extrapolation indicates that slaughtered meat could be facing obsolescence by the end of the 21st century, with a most likely date of 2084, though it is plausible that certain cultures and parts of the world may continue to permit it. The decline of traditional meat production and the rise of synthetic substitutes, indistinguishable in flavour and texture from the real thing, will have profound implications for animal welfare and environmental impacts.
Sources: Most 'meat' in 2040 will not come from dead animals, says report, The Guardian: How Will Cultured Meat and Meat Alternatives Disrupt the Agricultural and Food Industry?, Kearney:
Posted: 16th June 2019. Last updated: 19th April 2022.
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