Brazilian beef prices not linked to deforestation

Beef from cattle raised on former forest land costs no more than lower environmental impact beef in Brazil.

Beef linked to deforestation in Brazil is sold at similar prices to beef with a smaller deforestation footprint, research suggests.

The research, led by the Division of Global Agriculture and Food Systems in partnership with Earth and Life Institute at UCLouvain, suggests that concerns about food affordability should not prevent action to reduce deforestation.

The study found no evidence that deforestation in the areas supplying cattle affected supermarket prices. The outcome challenges the Brazilian public’s concerns that efforts to protect forests could make beef more expensive for consumers.

Comparing prices

Researchers collected prices for 2,980 beef products from supermarkets across Brazil. Using inspection labels on packaging, the team traced products to meat processing plants and linked these to data on deforestation in the areas supplying cattle.

The analysis found no evidence that beef linked to higher deforestation was cheaper, or that commitments to stop deforestation makes beef more expensive for consumers. 

Instead, other factors, such as the type of beef and the level of food safety inspection, were more closely associated with price.

A panoramic view of a grassy field with cows grazing. In the background, there's a forest and large mountains.
Brazilian cattle farming is a major driver of deforestation, but research found no evidence that beef linked to deforestation costs consumers more than lower-impact beef.

Improving transparency

The findings suggest that consumers pay similar prices for beef with different environmental impacts, but currently have limited information to help distinguish between them. 

Clearer labelling could also help consumers understand the environmental impact of the beef they buy, the team says.

The study builds on data developed for the app Do Pasto ao Prato, or From Pasture to Plate, which allows consumers to check the environmental and social impacts of beef products by scanning the barcode or sanitary inspection code.

The research was published in The Lancet Planetary Health, in collaboration with colleagues from UC Louvain, Belgium, INRAE France, the University of Sao Paulo, and the University of Cambridge. The work was supported by Norway’s International Climate and Forest Initiative, Fonds de la Recherche Scientifique and the European Research Council.

Consumers have the right to know the origin of the meat available on supermarket shelves, so that they can take this information into account at the time of purchase. Greater transparency also allows retailers to better select their suppliers, buying only from meatpacking plants that are committed to zero deforestation.

Improved transparency would also make it possible to reassess and redirect financial incentives, such as rural credit, to ensure that producers adopting sustainable practices are appropriately rewarded. Such incentives could be made conditional on sustainable, zero-deforestation farming practices.

Dr Jacqueline Tereza Da Silva, former PhD student, Division of Global Agriculture and Food Systems; currently Postdoctoral Re

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