More than 70 percent of consumers in Spain eat seafood between once and three times a week, according to the results of a survey carried out recently by AECOC (Association of Manufacturers and Distributors) among the seafood customers of seafood products in Spain.
Angels Segura, manager of the sector of seafood products of AECOC, presented the results this week at Seafood Expo Southern Europe in Barcelona. Segura outlined in its presentation, “Fish and seafood customers in Spain,” some opportunities for the professionals of the sector.
According to the survey the 75.1 percent of the consumers who eat seafood don’t eat it because they like it, but for having a balanced diet because of the nutritional content. So the seafood products are associated with a functional value more than with a pleasant consumption. Regarding opportunities for the professional seafood industry sector, Segura encouraged the industry to focus on the consumption of products more attractive and easy to cook, facilitate the purchase with different actions; and to take advantage of the moment of decision in the store by the consumer because it isn´t always planned.
She also said that seafood products are basic in the diet for the consumers because of health, welfare and delight. What stops consumption, she said, is among other factors the difficulty of eating and cooking seafood products, since they demand time and planning.
She pointed out that increasingly people don’t know how to cook seafood and consumers are afraid of buying the product just to end up throwing it away. “I think that the companies have to work with formats that could keep the product in the fridge,” she said in the conference.
