Targeting consumers 55 and older could bring gains for players in the United Kingdom’s GBP 3.2 billion seafood market, according to analysts at market research firm Mintel.
Additional growth potential could be couched in the established role of fish on British menus and Mintel’s conclusion that the frequency of eating fish rises with age, whether at home or in a restaurant. According to the analysts, nearly nine out of 10 adults eat fish at home, and more than half eat it at least once a week.
Freshness and quality are the top drivers for consumers when buying seafood, followed by price.
While sustainability dominates discussions among seafood professionals, consumers appear to be playing catch-up. According to Mintel, just one in three seafood-eating adults see sustainability issues as very important. Two in five seafood-eating adults find sustainability advice confusing, and nearly half would buy more sustainable fish given clearer labeling.
Mintel’s figures showed that just 15 percent seek out Marine Stewardship Council-certified seafood. But there is a hint that shoppers are placing more responsibility for sustainability in the hands of the retailer or brand. Mintel found that more than half (55 percent) of seafood-eating adults trust the retailer or brand to ensure that their fish is sustainably sourced, essentially outsourcing the responsibility.
Mintel also looked at shellfish sales, and a key barrier to that is the preparation. Two in three seafood-eating adults are confident in cooking fish, but one in three lack the confidence to prepare shellfish.
Curiously, Mintel suggested that shoppers see chilled fish as tastier than frozen fish for two in five seafood-eating adults. But a market opportunity could exist therein — nearly half of them neither agree nor disagree, which signals a big opportunity to convert fresh fish fans into frozen fish lovers.
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