Subjective knowledge and organic fish consumption in Europe

Abstract

This study focused on investigating how subjective knowledge regarding organic food can influence organic food consumption in general and organic fish in particular. Data were collected through a consumer survey (n=2007) conducted in UK, France, Italy and Germany. Two distinct consumer groups were created based on their subjective knowledge level regarding organic food, consisting of 631 and 338 participants respectively. These consumer groups differed significantly with respect to: a) consumption behavior towards organic fish, b) motives and barriers for organic fish choice, c) use of information sources regarding organic fish and d) socio-demographic characteristics. A strong relation between subjective knowledge and organic food/fish consumption was identified. Main motives found for organic fish choice were concerns about personal health and environmental benefits while main barriers were high price and limited availability. These comparisons also revealed a consumer profile for future targeted marketing development with the aim to increase organic fish consumption. Recommendations for the targeted information campaigns to specific consumer segments through communication channels like internet and fish mongers were formulated. Several implications for policy makers and market actors were discussed.