What Consumers Want: The Future of Sustainable Seafood
In 2019, consumer awareness surrounding the origin of their seafood and its sustainability status is climbing, according to the Marine Stewardship Council’s Jackie Marks, who organized the SENA19 session “What Consumers Want: The Future of Sustainable Seafood,” taking place on Monday, 18 March.
“Consumers are becoming more and more educated about where their seafood comes from and whether it is sustainable,” Marks told SeafoodSource. “With that, consumers are becoming more wary of marketing and on-package claims. They want to know who they can trust, and that claims are backed by independent verification. In terms of products, I think we will see creative ways for consumers to get their seafood in on the go like seafood snacks, inventive on-the-go packaging, and innovative flavor pairings.”
American consumers care about protecting seafood resources, as was evidenced in a recent consumer survey from GlobeScan, which found that 79 percent of participants agreed that fish must be protected for future generations. However, according to the survey, only 15 percent of American seafood consumers feel that retailers and large companies are effectively protecting the ocean environment.
This SENA19 conference session will look to troubleshoot how the industry can bridge this gap by attempting to ascertain a better understanding of consumer behavior and the roles that brands, retailers, distributors, restaurants, and NGOs play in this important space, according to the session’s description. It will also unpack consumer decision making at point of purchase, and the role the MSC’s “little blue fish plays in purchase motivators,” Marks said.
“I think consumer confusion continues to be a big obstacle facing the seafood industry,” she explained. “Simplicity is key, especially if we think about the point of purchase decision making. Consumers want to be informed, but if they’re pressed to get dinner on the table and only have a few moments in the seafood section in the grocery store to think about what to buy, they’re going to make a quick decision. That’s where the MSC blue fish label comes in – consumers can trust that the product is traceable through the supply chain and has met rigorous standards for sustainability through an independent third-party process.”
Featured speakers for this session will include Christine Burns Rudalevige, from Coastal Culinary Academy, who will moderate the panel; Brandon Hill, from Bamboo Sushi; Jan Tharp, from Bumble Bee; Jennifer Lambert, from Loblaw; Shelly Zhang, from Kroger; and Abbie Curtis O'Reilly, from GlobeScan.
