Chicken consumption is on the rise in national US survey

Consumers are eating more chicken in 2014 and say they planto eat even more in the next 12 months in the National Chicken Council survey.

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Chicken consumption is up 17 percent in the U.S., according to a national survey of consumers, and with health/nutrition, taste and price cited as top reasons for the uptick.

The survey of 1,019 consumer households conducted for the National Chicken Council and co-sponsored by Elanco and WATT PoultryUSA tracked eating occasions of chicken purchased from supermarkets/grocery stores and foodservice during the two-week period. The survey was conducted from May 29 to June 1.

Consumers were also asked about the likelihood of changes in their chicken consumption over the next 12 months. They reported they plan to eat even more chicken in the coming year.

Present chicken consumption behavior

  • Eating chicken in the United States is ubiquitous with 89 percent of those surveyed consuming chicken during the two-week period. Consumers ate chicken an average of 6.1 times during the two-week period.
  • Eighty-three percent ate chicken from a grocery store/supermarket with the average being 3.6 times.
  • Seventy percent ate chicken from a foodservice establishment with an average of 2.4 meals or snacks in the two weeks.

The survey also provided insight into who is eating more or less chicken. Those living in a four-plus person household tend to eat chicken both from a grocery store and food establishment most frequently. Midwesterners report eating chicken less frequently regardless of source.

Likely changes in chicken consumption behavior

The 12-month outlook for growth in the grocery/supermarket sector looks promising, according to the survey.

  • A net 24 percent said they intend to increase their chicken consumption.
  • The percentage of respondents reporting a likely increase is more than three times the percentage reported in 1998 and 2004.

The 12-month outlook for growth in the food establishment sector is positive but limited. There is a substantial increase in the percentage of respondents who intend to change their eating behaviors (both positive and negative). The primary reasons for altering consumption patterns are health/nutrition, taste and cost.

Frequent consumption of chicken

Those consumers reporting the most frequent consumption (8.4 times) in the two-week survey period live in four-plus person households.

Other high-consumption demographics exceeding the 6.1 times of the total survey group included the following:

  • Millennials (18- to 34-year-olds) at 7.7 times
  • Household incomes of $35,000-$50,000 at 7.0 times
  • Consumers in the Northeast at 7.0 times
  • Consumers in the South at 6.6 times

Overall, the average number of meals or snacks that contained chicken eaten by respondents in the two weeks was 6.1. This is up from the 5.2 in the 2012 findings. Millennial respondents (18- to 34-year-olds) remain the most likely to eat chicken meals or snacks frequently at 7.7 times. They are followed by Gen Xers (35- to 44-year-olds) at 7.2 times. Boomers (45- to 64-year-olds) at 5.1 times and the Greatest Generation (65 years or older) at 3.9 times tend to have eaten the fewest meals that contain chicken.

Larger households are more likely to have eaten chicken meals or snacks more frequently over the two-week period. One- or two-person households averaged 5.1 meals or snacks; three-person households averaged 6.4; and larger households averaged 8.4 meals or snacks.

Chicken consumption did not differ significantly by gender.

Chicken consumption frequency by U.S. region

While Northeasterners and Southerners reported more frequent chicken consumption than the survey average, Midwesterners ate chicken less frequently (4.2 times) than their regional counterparts.

The Midwest is the only region where the rate of consumption did not increase since 2012 when it was 4.8 times.

The proportion of respondents eating chicken in the two-week period fluctuated across the nine census regions. The West South Central and Mid-Atlantic regions had the highest rates of consumption (7.6 and 7.3), while the East North Central and West North Central regions had the lowest rates of consumption (4.3 and 3.9).

Chicken purchased at grocery/supermarkets

More than eight out of 10 (83 percent) survey respondents had eaten a chicken meal or snack from a grocery store.

The frequency of eating chicken from a grocery/supermarket is consistent with the findings of 2012 (87 percent). One out of four (25 percent) ate chicken frequently (five or more times in the two weeks).

Heavy users of chicken at home ate chicken from grocery stores an average of 6.7 times in the two weeks.

The Greatest Generation (2.6 times) and Boomers (3.1 times) had a lower average frequency of consuming chicken from a grocery store in the two weeks (versus Millennials at 4.4 times and Gen Xers at 4.2 times).

Larger households consume chicken purchased from grocery/supermarkets more frequently than their counterparts.

Gender and income did not seem to significantly impact how frequently respondents ate chicken from a grocery store in the two week survey period.

Chicken purchased at foodservice establishments

Overall, seven out of ten (70 percent) respondents ate at least one meal/snack containing chicken from a restaurant, fast-food store, carry-out shop or employee cafeteria. The average number of meals/snacks from these sources increased to 2.4 in 2014 versus 1.8 in 2012.

The percentage of those eating meals that contained chicken outside the home frequently (five or more times) has also increased to 14 percent in 2014 from 8 percent in 2012.

Heavy users of chicken purchased outside the home ate a meal from foodservice an average of 7.0 times in the two weeks.

Demographic groups showed differing consumption frequencies

The Greatest Generation and Boomers were less likely than Gen Xers and Millennials to consume chicken from a foodservice location. These older groups consumed two or less meals that contained chicken from food service in the two weeks.

Additionally, respondents with incomes of $35,000 to under $100,000 are more likely than counterparts to have eaten a chicken meal outside the home (72 percent; versus under $35,000, 66 percent; and over $100,000, 65 percent). 

Smaller households were less likely to have eaten a chicken meal outside the household (one- or two-person households at 66 percent versus three-plus person households at 78 percent).

Respondents in the Northeast and Midwest are somewhat less likely than those in other parts of the country to have eaten chicken outside the home in the two-week survey period.

Change in likelihood to eat chicken in the next 12 months

In 1998 and 2006 respondents were asked if they are likely to eat more, less or about the same amount of chicken. In 2014 they were asked specifically about likely changes in consumption of chicken purchased from grocery/supermarkets and foodservice establishments.

Two primary changes were noted in this tracking:

  • First, there seems to be less stability in eating habits with a greater proportion of 2014 respondents stating that they are likely to alter their rate of consumption. This may indicate greater competition in the broader food industry and a greater need for promotion.
  • Second, the 12-month outlook for the grocery segment looks promising with a net of 24 percent saying they will be eating more chicken. This is more than three times the proportion previously noted.

Change in likelihood to eat grocery/supermarket chicken 

The 12-month outlook for continued growth in the grocery sector is promising. More than one in four (28 percent) respondents indicate they are likely to buy more grocery chicken while only 4 percent say they intend to purchase less grocery chicken. This indicates a net gain among 24 percent of the population.

While all segments are likely to increase their chicken purchases at a grocery store, there are significant variations. The following segments reported above average intentions of increasing their chicken purchases:

  • Three-plus person household at 38 percent
  • Millennials at 37 percent
  • Gen Xers at 36 percent
  • Heavy users at 36 percent
  • Households with incomes $50,000-$100,000 at 33 percent

Intention to increase consumption from grocery/supermarket

The primary reasons given for eating more chicken from a grocery store are health/nutrition (34 percent) and taste (32 percent). These are trailed by cost (17 percent). Women expressed concern more often than men about both health/nutrition and cost.

Among the small proportion (42 respondents) that said they will eat less chicken, the primary reasons were taste (26 percent) and health/nutrition (14 percent). Thirty-one percent did not give a reason for their intention to eat less.

Intention to increase consumption from foodservice establishments

One in five (20 percent) respondents is likely to buy more chicken at foodservice establishments, while 11 percent intend to purchase less chicken. This indicates a net gain in purchasing among 9 percent of the population.

Men, younger adults and those with at least three people in the household are more likely than their counterparts to increase their consumption of chicken.

Reasons to eat more/less chicken at foodservice establishments

The primary reasons for eating more chicken are taste (25 percent) and health/nutrition (24 percent). Men were more focused on the taste while women are more focused on the health/nutrition aspect.

The primary reason for eating less chicken is taste (31 percent), including 12 percent who said they prefer home cooking. This is followed by health/nutrition (25 percent) and cost (12 percent). Cost is the primary reason respondents are planning to simply eat out less.

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