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Seafood consumers put sustainability before price and brand

Seafood consumers put sustainability before price and brand New independent research reveals global motivators to seafood purchase

Consumers perceive NGOs and scientific organisations as contributing most to protecting oceans Independent certification increases consumer trust in brands Awareness of the blue MSC label is 37% amongst all consumers MSC-aware consumers say they will pay a premium of up to 11% for MSC labelled seafood

Published 8 years ago | About a 6 minute read

Seafood consumers put sustainability before price and brand

New independent research reveals global motivators to seafood purchase

Consumers perceive NGOs and scientific organisations as contributing most to protecting oceans
Independent certification increases consumer trust in brands
Awareness of the blue MSC label is 37% amongst all consumers
MSC-aware consumers say they will pay a premium of up to 11% for MSC labelled seafood

London, 13 July 2016 — New global independent research has found that sustainability is a key driver for seafood purchase. Across 21 countries overall, sustainability is rated more highly than price and brand, with nearly three-quarters (72%) of seafood consumers agreeing that in order to save the oceans, shoppers should only consume seafood from sustainable sources.

This is in contrast to purchasing motivations among shoppers of other fast-moving consumer goods (FMCGs), where price and brand typically outrank sustainability in driving purchase decisions*.

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The consumer perceptions survey is the largest ever global analysis of attitudes to seafood consumption and was carried by independent research and insights company GlobeScan, on behalf of the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC). Over 16,000 seafood consumers in 21 countries took part in the research, which ensured a statistically representative sample in each country.

Sustainability influences actions of consumers of all ages

With over four in five (85%) households purchasing seafood regularly, concern about ocean sustainability is influencing shoppers’ actions. 68% said people should be prepared to switch to more sustainable seafood.

Older consumers demonstrate a greater concern for sustainability. 75% of seafood consumers aged 55 and over agreed with the need to eat seafood only from sustainable sources, compared with 67% of 18 to 34 year olds.

“These insights demonstrate that seafood consumers are attuned to the need for sustainability and that they are prepared to change shopping habits to protect the oceans. Citizens feel empowered to vote for sustainability with their wallets.” says MSC CEO, Rupert Howes.

Independent labelling increases brand trust

More than two-thirds (68%) of those surveyed said there is a need for brands and supermarkets to independently verify their claims about sustainability, with 62% agreeing that by buying ecolabelled seafood they are helping to ensure plenty more fish for future generations. The same number (62%) agreed that ecolabels on seafood products raise their trust and confidence in the brand.

Whilst 10% of the world’s wild caught seafood comes from MSC-certified fisheries, 37% of all consumers said that they have seen the MSC ecolabel. Awareness varies across the 21 markets surveyed, from 13% in Canada up to 71% in Switzerland. Respondents aged 18 to 34 are more likely to recall seeing the MSC label (41%) compared to older respondents (30% of those 55+). Of those who have seen the blue MSC label more than six in ten (64%) are likely to recommend it to people they know.

More than half (54%) of seafood consumers said they are prepared to pay more for a certified sustainable seafood product. Those who have seen the MSC label place the value of the MSC label at an average premium of 11% globally.

Positive perceptions of the MSC

When asked which institutions they believed were contributing the most to protecting the oceans, respondents ranked NGOs (41%) and scientific organisations (36%) highest, with governments and business ranked as least effective.

These results are consistent with consumers’ perception of the MSC, where 86% of consumers who have seen the label say they trust it and are positive about the organisation’s impact.

As the world’s most recognised seafood ecolabelling and certification program, consumers are positive that the MSC, and the fishers, retailers and brands committed to MSC certified seafood, are contributing to the health of the world’s oceans. More than eight in ten (81%) of those who have seen the label say that the MSC helps recognise and reward sustainable fishing. The same proportion (81%) say the MSC encourages people to shop more sustainably.

Empowering consumers to make positive choices

“Collaboration between scientists, NGOs, retailers and industry is delivering positive impacts on the water, but unsustainable fishing is still a significant challenge. Consumers who recognise the blue MSC label, trust it. However there’s still more we can do to deliver on demand for sustainable seafood, and empower shoppers to make positive choices. The MSC is therefore increasingly focused on working with our partners and the wider industry to raise awareness of the blue MSC label” Howes added.

Caroline Holme, Director at GlobeScan said: “This survey gives us a detailed insight into just how different the seafood category is compared to others. In a category with relatively few trusted brands, third party claims on sustainability and traceability can help consumers navigate their choices better. Ocean sustainability is proven to be a topic with real relevance in this category and consumers prioritise it more than we suspected in their seafood purchase decisions.”

These figures support findings of the 2015 Nielsen Global Corporate Sustainability Report which showed that, over the previous year, sales of consumer goods from brands with a demonstrated commitment to sustainability grew by more than 4% globally, while those without grew less than 1%**.

About the survey

This year’s survey uses the latest methodologies, sampling and question wording, developed by independent research and strategy consultancy, GlobeScan. It adds to the growing evidence that ocean sustainability is a topic with global relevance and ranks high in seafood purchase decisions.

The survey was carried out between January and February 2016 using large and reliable national consumer research online panels to recruit respondents, with a minimum of 600 seafood consumers surveyed per country.

Consumers in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, China, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK and USA took part. Belgium, China, Austria, Italy, Norway and South Africa were surveyed for the first time this year.

The main sample of fish and seafood consumers comprised a total of 16,876 consumers who said they or someone in their household had purchased fish or seafood in the last two months, out of a total sample size of 21,877. The figures were weighted to be nationally representative by gender, age, region and education.

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* http://uk.kantar.com/consumer/shoppers/2014/understanding-behaviour-of-british-shoppers/

** http://www.nielsen.com/us/en/press-room/2015/consumer-goods-brands-that-demonstrate-commitment-to-sustainability-outperform.html

Notes for editors

For interviews and comments, please contact**,** Adisa Amanor-Wilks, Global Media Relations Manager

Marine Stewardship Council [email protected] or +44 (0) 7983 830876

About the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC)

The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) is an international non-profit organization. Our vision is for the world’s oceans to be teeming with life, and seafood supplies safeguarded for this and future generations. Our ecolabel and certification program recognizes and rewards sustainable fishing practices and is helping create a more sustainable seafood market.

The blue MSC label on a seafood product means that:

It comes from a wild-catch fishery which has been independently certified to the MSC’s science-based Standard for environmentally sustainable fishing.
It’s fully traceable to a sustainable source.

More than 280 fisheries in over 33 countries are certified to the MSC’s Standard. These fisheries have a combined annual seafood production of almost nine million metric tonnes, representing close to 10% of annual global yields. Over 20,000 seafood products worldwide carry the blue MSC label.

www.msc.org.

About GlobeScan

GlobeScan is an evidence-led strategy consultancy focused on stakeholder intelligence and engagement. Offering a suite of specialist research and advisory services, GlobeScan partners with clients to meet strategic objectives across reputation, sustainability and purpose.

GlobeScan Incorporated subscribes to the standards of ESOMAR, the world association of market, social and opinion researchers. ESOMAR sets minimum disclosure standards for studies that are released to the public or the media. The purpose is to maintain the integrity of market research by avoiding misleading interpretations.

www.GlobeScan.com