Germany is an adequate performer (“C”) under the VACI. The country has an adequate animal protection framework and a relatively low level of animal production, however it continues to be a very high consumer of animal products.
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Germany slaughters around 9.5 land-based animals per person per year, compared to a global average of 10.1. The country’s dependence on farmed animals is relatively low, with around 2.6 farmed animals per person, versus a global average of 4.1. Germany is a major producer of pig-based meat products in the EU. Whilst factory farming is widespread, non-enriched cages are unlawful, the use of sow stalls is restricted and compliance with EU law is good.
The German diet contains a high proportion of animal products, with around 59% of the average person’s diet being made up of land-based animal protein, compared to a global average of 35.2%. This equates to each person consuming around 58.8g of land-based animal protein per day, versus a global average of 27.2g. This is higher than in Spain, the United Kingdom and Italy. Over 10% of Germans are vegetarian.
Germany is rated as an adequate performer (“C”) under the Animal Protection Index (API), and its farmed animal protection legislation achieved a marginal performance rating (“D”) under the same index. Germany did not secure a higher grade due to its failure to ban the use of farrowing crates and enriched cages and the limited nature of its ban on sow stalls. Learn more about the quality of Germany’s legislative protections on the API here.