Where'd You Get This Turkey?

Tuesday, November 26, 2024

The voice of the world in numbers

Nov. 26, 2024

Welcome to Front Page, where we break down Gallup's latest insights on our constantly evolving world. Here are the five insights you shouldn't miss this week:

1. Where'd You Get This Turkey?

Range Plot: Americans' confidence in the safety of grocery store food, by subgroup, 2019 to 2024.

The Data: Roughly seven in 10 Americans (72%) say they are very or somewhat confident that the food available at most grocery stores is safe to eat, down from 81% in 2019. Confidence in the safety of grocery store food has fallen among nearly all subgroups.

Lowest Confidence: Younger women, people of color, and parents of children under 18 are the least confident that grocery store food is safe.

Bar Chart: 50% of Americans disapproved of President Roosevelt's plan to move Thanksgiving Day in 1939.

The Data: Half of Americans surveyed in August 1939 (50%) disapproved of President Franklin Roosevelt tinkering with the timing of Thanksgiving.

The History: In 1939, the U.S. was still in the grip of the Great Depression and on the cusp of World War II. Roosevelt, nearing the end of his second term, faced pressure from retailers to extend the holiday shopping season and possibly bolster the economy. So, Roosevelt moved Thanksgiving from the last Thursday in November (Nov. 30) to Nov. 23.

Gallup Vault

3. Beer, Wine or Liquor?

Line Chart: 34% of U.S. drinkers consume beer most often, while 33% prefer to drink wine.

The Data: Beer (34%) essentially ties with wine (33%) as American drinkers' preferred adult beverage, with liquor (29%) close behind.

Beer's Declining Popularity: For over three decades, Gallup has tracked the type of alcohol that U.S. drinkers choose most often, and while it has varied somewhat, beer has typically outpaced liquor and wine. Americans' preference for beer, which peaked at 47% in the early 1990s, sits at a record low today by one percentage point.

Latest Data

4. Who Is Not Eating Turkey?

Bar Chart: U.S. adults' self-identification as vegetarian, by subgroup, in 2023.

The Data: Four percent of U.S. adults describe themselves as vegetarian, with the rate stretching to 9% among political liberals and 7% among lower-income adults. Additionally, women (6%) are more likely than men (2%) to say they eat a vegetarian diet.

Veganism: Just 1% of Americans identify as vegan, with no meaningful demographic differences among those who adhere to that diet. All subgroups fall in the 1% to 3% range.

Full Story

5. Costs Keep Food Out of Reach for Many

Line Chart: 36% of people worldwide said they struggled to afford food in 2023.

The Data: In 2023, more than one in three people worldwide said there were times within the past year that they had lacked money for food that they or their family needed.

The Trend: Since 2019, a steady 35% to 36% have reported struggling to afford food — higher than levels at most points throughout the previous decade. From 2006 to 2016, the percentage of people worldwide struggling to afford food was under 30%.

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