Meat Mystery in Hong Kong as Apparent Beef Eating Soars: Chart

(Bloomberg) -- If you believe the numbers, Hong Kong is one of the most meat-crazed societies on earth. Beef consumption in 2016 came in at 53.2 kilograms per head -- roughly the equivalent of eating two Big Macs a day, 365 days a year. Bloomberg Gadfly’s David Fickling and Elaine He argue that the explanation for this strange behavior -- rather than genuine consumption by Hong Kongers -- is smuggling across the border due to shortages, high prices and perceived low quality on the mainland.

To contact the reporters on this story: David Fickling in Sydney at dfickling@bloomberg.net, Elaine He in London at ehe36@bloomberg.net.

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Katrina Nicholas at knicholas2@bloomberg.net, Jake Ulick