Soaring food prices are reshaping the diets of Iranian households, with new data showing a sharp drop in dairy consumption and a continued long‑term decline in red meat intake as purchasing power erodes. Annual dairy consumption has fallen from roughly 130 kilograms per person in 2010 to just 40 kilograms today, according to Ali Ehsan Zafari, head of Iran’s Dairy Cooperatives Union. The Statistical Center of Iran reports that dairy products in July were 147% more expensive than a year earlier.

The decline in dairy intake mirrors a broader shift in Iranian diets driven by years of inflation and falling household incomes. The result is a growing nutritional crisis. With dairy consumption now at only one‑third of the global average, experts warn of rising risks of calcium deficiency, anemia, osteoporosis, and poor childhood growth. Iran’s shift away from nutrient‑dense foods reflects not changing preferences but shrinking purchasing power and persistent food inflation.

Fig.: Vectorportal