The line chart delineates the changes in per capita meat consumption across four countries (the USA, the UK, Brazil, and India) over a 34-year period starting from 1985, at five-year intervals.
Overall, the period was characterized by divergent trends. While the USA and the UK experienced relatively steady growth, Brazil witnessed a much sharper rise, whereas India remained the lowest despite gradual increases. Notably, Brazil eventually surpassed the UK to become the second-largest consumer by the end of the period.
Regarding the most prominent categories, 1985 witnessed the USA leading the chart at approximately 90 units per person. This figure climbed steadily to a peak of around 140 units in 2009 and 2014, before slightly declining to about 135 units by 2019. Simultaneously, the UK also saw a moderate rise, increasing from roughly 75 units in 1985 to around 110 units in the final year, consistently remaining below the USA throughout the timeframe.
In stark contrast, the figures for Brazil and India remained at the lower end initially but showed notable growth. Although Brazil started at just under 60 units in 1985, it surged significantly to approximately 130 units by 2019, overtaking the UK around 2005. Meanwhile, India experienced a much slower increase, rising gradually from about 15 units to 40 units over the same period, representing only a small fraction compared to the leading countries. By the final year, the gap between the highest (USA) and lowest (India) figures had widened considerably, with the former being over three times higher than the latter.