Though U.S. consumers are increasingly demanding healthy protein options and the new Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) have recommended people to eat more seafood, price, whether real or perceived, remains a barrier that may impede the extent to which U.S. seafood consumption rates rise.
Nearly 40 percent of Americans are non-seafood consumers, according to FMI – The Food Industry Association’s 2026 Power of Seafood Report. Over half of those shoppers said price is a reason they don’t eat seafood.
“Despite the fact that seafood prices have been less impacted in the past few years, seafood is still perceived to be expensive,” the report said.
Another report, recently conducted by consumer insights data firm Numerator, found that the majority of U.S. consumers are not following recommendations laid out in the new DGA. Nearly half of those who are not following the new guidelines said price/affordability is the reason, while 34 percent cited household preferences and 21 percent said seafood wasn’t convenient.
“Price perception can be a challenge,” National Fisheries Institute (NFI) Media and Communications Manager Brandon Shillingford said.
To combat the issue, he said that the NFI is advocating for stakeholders ranging from marketers to medical professionals to double down on the message that seafood provides the most “nutritional bang for your buck.”
“Seafood is far and away the healthiest animal protein. If you’re focused on your family’s health, seafood will deliver the most benefits per pound,” Shillingford said. “We in the seafood community already know there are plenty of value items available that have a superior nutrition profile … but aren’t as ingrained in mom and dad’s retail repertoire.”
Similarly, Seafood Nutrition Partnership Founder and President Linda Cornish said that stakeholders need to emphasize the message that seafood fits every dietary framework, “making it a clear winner [at delivering] the high-quality protein people actively seek.”
“What’s missing is a unified, national marketing campaign to capitalize on this message and help consumers make it a routine part of their diets,” Cornish said. “The DGA serves as a federal nutrition framework, but it is up to all of us to share this with consumers. There is an opportunity to show Americans how seafood works at every price point – from accessible everyday options to more culinary creations so it fits within their budgets.”
Those nutrition claims have been backed up by such organizations as the American Heart Association (AHA), which released updated recommendations after the launch of the new DGA, including advice to “shift from meat to plant-based sources such as legumes, including beans, peas, and lentils, along with nuts and seeds; regularly consume fish and seafood; select low-fat or fat-free dairy products; and if red meat is desired, choose lean cuts, avoid processed forms, and limit portion size.”
Referencing such organizations as the AHA and their increased calls for seafood consumption may help the industry overcome its price barriers and get more seafood on consumers’ tables, according to Shillingford.
“When it comes to nutrition science, seafood is a global superstar, and encouraging Americans to eat more of it has long been a public health message that was desperately needed,” Shillingford said.
