The two keys to building demand for sustainable seafood are greater global collaboration and consumer education, according to panelists at the 2025 Blue Food Innovation summit, which took place 8 to 9 April in London, U.K.
In a session titled “From Catch to Consumer: Building the Future Demand for Sustainable Seafood,” the panelists said consumers around the world claim to prefer sustainable seafood and are willing to pay more for it; however, in reality, they continue to be price-conscious when shopping for seafood.
That gap can be bridged by taking consumer preferences into account and educating them as much as possible, according to Nomad Foods Portfolio Director Jim Shearer.
“Frozen seafood plays a critical role, particularly when it comes to affordability, accessibility, and convenience,” he said. “Fish fingers are often a child’s first encounter with and taste of fish, and we need to work hard to keep them interested through the different age groups.”
Hilton Foods Sustainability Senior Manager Teresa Fernandez added that the problem in advertising a product’s sustainability bonafides is doing so simply and succinctly.
“How do we tell the story of seafood in general terms? Wild-caught and aquaculture have different issues, but how much does the consumer need to know?” she said. “It is important to collaborate to ensure the message matches across the supply chain.”
Victoria Braathen, the U.K. director of the Norwegian Seafood Council, agreed that this is a key issue and that it was important to avoid overwhelming the consumer. She emphasized, though, that innovative communication, modern marketing, and social media were important vectors to bridging the information gap, instead of just relying on messaging on packaging...
