Consumers’ Willingness to Pay for Sustainable Seafood Made in Europe

Abstract

Sustainability of increasing relevance also for seafood markets. The aim of this contribution is to analyze consumer preferences and their willingness to pay (WTP) for different sustainability claims, and to identify consumer segments according to their WTP. The contingent valuation method was applied to elicit consumers' WTP in eight European countries. The WTP varies between seven and almost 20%, depending on attribute and country. Three consumer groups become apparent: the largest group without any additional WTP, a smaller group with a moderate additional WTP of plus 17%, and a very small group with an additional WTP of more than 40%. Clear differences between countries are obvious regarding preferences for different sustainability attributes, particularly in the segment with the highest WTP. A fraction of the consumers is willing to pay significantly higher prices for sustainably produced fish from Europe: given that trustful standards are applied and well communicated.

Ambiguity tolerance and confusion avoidance in the intent to purchase farmed fish

“…Greater use of aquatic technology by fish farmers in disease prevention, fishmeal replacement, aquaculture sustainability, and established blockchains in aquaculture could be the worthy creative goals. However, communication of the sustainability of aquaculture is challenging, and the growth of the market requires intensive action, including the overall value chain, with the retail sector being considered as the main actor (Zander et al 2018). Such creative work could help consumers to form a positive attitude to farmed fish, and subsequently these positive attitudes will enhance their intention to purchase the fish.…”

A Best–Worst Measure of Attitudes toward Buying Seabream and Seabass Products: An Application to the Island of Gran Canaria

“…In the literature, several studies have shown a general preference and greater willingness to pay for fresh products over other types of presentations [ 65 , 66 , 67 , 68 , 69 , 70 ]. A study found that freshness was the most important attribute for farmed seabream consumption in Portugal [ 62 ], while another study in Europe found that one of the most important reasons for buying local and European products was its greater freshness [ 71 ]. This preference for fresh products implies that efforts should be made to optimize the supply chain for fisheries and aquaculture to ensure that more fresh products are marketed [ 72 ].…”

The Willingness to Pay in the Food Sector. Testing the Hypothesis of Consumer Preferences for Some Made in Italy Products

“…However, an inverse trend also exists: although Italians consider environmental protection and the conservation of marine habitats an important issue, they are not willing to pay a higher price to support sustainable and selective fishing [41]. Domestic and local provenance of fish is particularly important for Italian consumers and a willingness to pay around 14% more on average for fish produced locally (within the region) is demonstrated [42]. The extensive literature review [43] shows that consumers have a positive perception of sustainable fish products and willingness to pay the premium price.…”