Portuguese consumers’ interest in seafood production and consumption: insights considering benefits and risks Ana Pinto de Moura DCeT, Universidade Aberta Paris, 11th March 2015 Luís Miguel Cunha Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto

FRAMEWORK © Moura & Cunha perceived benefits risks health benefits intake of chemical contaminants potential environmental impacts of farmed fish fish farming helps saving wild fish stocks

© Moura & Cunha SEAFOOD CONSUMPTION High levels of seafood consumption in Portugal. Word: 17.8 kg/per capita Island: 90.6 kg/per capita (308 khabitants) Japan: 76.7 kg/per capita Portugal: 61.6 kg/per capita (FAO, 2007) North of Europe Portugal

©Moura & Cunha 3 Research aim: to explore Portuguese consumer perceptions about the benefits and risks of seafood consumption, while exploring differences on their views about wild and farmed fish METHODOLOGY Methodology: A qualitative approach (focus groups) was applied and participants were purposively sampled based on: i) gender, ii) level of education, and iii) frequency of seafood consumption A focus group guide was designed taking into account the following dimensions: i) attitudes towards fish consumption; ii) perceptions towards farmed fish relative to wild fish, iii) risk perceptions related to farmed versus wild fish Light consumer - an individual that consumes less than five seafood meals/week Heavy consumer – an individual that consumes five or more seafood meals/week

RESULTS Participants (n = 23) The lack of self efficacy is the major barrier perceived by younger and active women. They overcome this dissonance by consuming fish at restaurant/work/parents’ house Intrinsic product quality cues are used by all participants to assess expected fish quality. Price/promotions and preferences are also important criteria when shopping seafood products Participants enjoy the taste of seafood products and they are strongly convinced that eating fish is healthy and nutritious The major barrier perceived by women with lower education and with children is the family preferences. In this case, social norms and moral obligations interact at opposite forces Light consumers Heavy consumers Lower educationFG2 (n=4)FG3 (n=6) Higher educationFG4 (n=4) FG1 (n=5), men who had buying experience © Moura & Cunha

RESULTS Aquaculture system is perceived as a sustainable alternative to wild fish captured and a controllable system, despite the strong belief that farmed fish contains growth promoters Participants accept the changes in the formulated diet at aquaculture system production, if these changes may be translated into better taste Wild fish is perceived as more natural, despite the higher risk of the contamination by pollutants from the environment Participants are aware of the existence of farmed fish in the market place and noted that the majority of fresh fish buy in retailing chains comes from aquaculture system production © Moura & Cunha

FINAL BALNCE Perceived benefits and risks towards fish consumption Benefits Risks & barriers Wild fish Farmed fish Health Chemical contamination Natural stock dilapidation Taste Lack of convenience Natural Controllable system Benefits Availability Affordable price Risks & barriers Lower quality Discharges from farms Growth promoters © Moura & Cunha

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This work was carried out by Project PROAMBIENTE for enhancing SMEs organizational and management structure to enter foreign markets. PROAMBIENTE has the financial support of Quadro de Referência Estratégico Nacional – QREN and Programa Operacional Regional do Norte – ON2, with a total budget of ,65 € supported by the European Fund for Regional Development - FEDER. © Moura & Cunha