Sales of beef and lamb in the UK fell in both volume and value over a 12 week period to 26 January 2020, according to the latest data.
Figures by market analysts Kantar WorldPanel show that retail sales of red meat dropped compared to a year earlier.
Total spending on beef fell by 3% during the period, primarily driven by declines in the amount purchased (-2%), though average prices were also down by 1%.
Both the volume purchased per buyer and market penetration fell.
Looking at the figures, AHDB Beef and Lamb analyst Bethan Wilkins said this suggests that consumer demand for beef is struggling at present.
Overall spending on lamb also fell by 3 percent year-on-year, during the period.
A 6 percent fall in the amount purchased drove this, as average prices increased by 3 percent.
People that did buy lamb purchased similar amounts to last year, so a drop in buyers drove the decline in sales, Ms Wilkins said.
She added that it may be that the rise in retail prices is discouraging some consumers.
It comes as figures show 2019 was one of the best years on record for UK red meat exports - rocketing to more than £1.5 billion.
