Brazil may be known in international markets as a major poultry meat exporter, but how do Brazilians purchase and consume their chicken and eggs?
We now have the answer thanks to a study carried out by the Brazilian Association of Animal Protein (ABPA) and market research company Centro de Asssessoria e Pesquisa de Mercado (CEAP) between November 2020 and February 2021. Two-thousand five-hundred interviews were conducted across 113 cities.
The focus of the interviews was the household member that made purchasing decisions and views were sought from across all social classes. Participants ranged from 18 years old through to 65.
Frequency of consumption
Forty-seven percent of those interviewed said that they ate eggs every day, while 54% said that they ate chicken three times a week.
When asked which was the animal protein most consumed in the home, eggs were the main source mentioned, accounting for 35% of responses, followed by chicken with 34% and pig meat at 4%.
The survey was carried out during the pandemic and found that most animal protein, unsurprisingly, was consumed in the home.
Frequency of purchases
The study revealed that most chicken meat and egg purchases are made in supermarkets or hypermarkets. The butcher is the second most important port of call for purchases of chicken, while for eggs, local markets are in second place.
Among those interviewed, 24% said that they bought eggs weekly, while 21% said that they purchased eggs every two weeks.
Where chicken is concerned, 22% buy it every two weeks, with 21% saying that they made purchases two or three times a week.
Cuts of chicken are by far the most popular choice when it comes to buying chicken, with 69% stating cuts to be their preference. This was followed by whole birds, favored by 22%. Nine percent of respondents said that they bought both.
Chilled birds are more popular than frozen, 55% vs 40%, with 5% of respondents saying that thy bought both.
Where eggs are concerned, 92% opt for conventional eggs, although 36% said that they also bought eggs from higher welfare vegetable diet fed birds, or “caipira” eggs. While eggs are the most popular, bought by 57% of respondents, 15% said that they preferred brown, while 28% bought both.
Product characteristics
Eighty-two percent of respondents said that they thought that chicken was a healthy meat, and 68% deemed it easier to prepare than red meats.
Where eggs are concerned, 82% said that they were an excellent source of protein, with 74% saying that eggs are one of the most complete foods and of high nutritional value.
While Brazilian consumers may see both chicken and eggs in a positive light, the ABPA and CEAP note there are still myths about these foods that fail to go away. Fiffty-nine percent of respondents still believe that chicken is reared with hormones, however, this figure has dropped from 72% in 2021. For eggs, the belief persists that brown eggs are healthier than white.
Almost of quarter of survey respondents said that they bought eggs on a weekly basis with 21% buying every two weeks. | liza1979 | BigStockPhoto.com
Impact of the pandemic
Twenty-two percent of those interviewed said that they had increased their purchases of both chicken meat and eggs as a result of the pandemic. The increase in demand for eggs was strongest, with 37% saying that their purchases increased during the pandemic. For chicken, purchases rose by 32%. Greater consumption of food at home was the main reason for the increase.
The pandemic also saw more chicken and egg purchases made on-line, with purchases of both chicken and eggs doubling.
Commenting on this shift, ABPA notes that it is too early to tell whether the change will be permanent or whether the increase simply reflects the circumstances in which the country’s consumers currently find themselves.
Across animal protein types, eggs were eaten in 96% of households, chicken in 94%, pig meat in 80%, beef in 79% and fish in only 65%.
