According to the Organization of Consumers and Users (OCU), beef prices in Spain have surged 12% over the past 12 months, reaching their highest levels in a decade. This rise — far above the overall food inflation rate of nearly 6% in September — is causing growing concern among both consumers and the livestock industry.
The situation reflects a structural imbalance between supply and demand, worsened by several concurrent factors. On one hand, demand remains high, while the number of cattle continues to decline significantly across Europe, reported La Razón.
Official Eurostat data highlight the seriousness of the issue in Spain, where 121,000 head of cattle were lost between January 2024 and January 2025. Across Europe, the trend is similar — and even more pronounced — with a reduction of 1.7 million head between 2021 and 2024.
