All in the Cut: Survey Finds Japanese are Enjoying Beef on a Budget

Trimmings and Offcuts

A survey in Japan found that 75.9% of respondents had purchased beef in the last year. A total of 58.1% bought it around once a month and 23.4% around once a week. By region, the highest frequency of purchases were in Kansai and Chūgoku, while the lowest was in Hokkaidō.

The survey, conducted online in early July 2026 by research company MyVoice Communications, received responses from 10,992 men and women aged from their teens to their seventies.

Respondents who had bought beef within the last year were then asked what type and cut they chose, with multiple responses possible. The most common choice was “mixed trimmings and thinly sliced offcuts” at 52.8%, followed by “short plate (short ribs)” with 41.4%. Around 30% each said “chuck roll” and “mixed ground meat,” indicating that overall people tended to go for reasonably priced cuts.

Women were more likely to purchase “mixed trimmings and thinly sliced offcuts,” especially those aged in their fifties to seventies. From these results, it seemed clear that people who bought beef frequently were finding ways to incorporate beef into their dishes by using affordable cuts.

Asked why they were partial to beef, again with multiple responses possible, 41.2% said it was “the umami flavor,” and nearly 30% each answered that “it feels like a luxury” and “it has a nice meaty taste.” Nearly 20% each also said “it’s filling” and “it boosts my stamina.”

Data Sources

• Survey on beef purchasing and consumption (Japanese) by MyVoice Communications.

(Translated from Japanese. Banner photo © Pixta.)