For the first time, sustainable sourcing has become a more important factor than price for Europeans shopping for fish and seafood, according to a study conducted by Deloitte and released by the Spanish tuna fleet acting under the Europêche banner.
The study, which looked at the habits of 11,000 consumers at food retailers, also found that shoppers are willing to switch retailers if that will give them a wider range of socially responsible products, with 90.5% of Spanish respondents saying they would switch stores.
The director of the Organisation of Associated Producers of Large Tuna Freezers, Julio Morón, said that “the study’s findings show that the European fishing community and citizens have a clear idea of the value of sustainability and respect for human rights in the fishing industry. Now we just need politicians and European distributors to become aware.”
Consumers have an increasingly demanding attitude against illegal fishing, says the study. So much so that last year Europêche asked the European Commission to revise its criteria on importing fish caught by Asian fleets amid news which surfaced recently ‘about deceased crew members thrown overboard from Chinese fishing vessels and observers who have died on board’, according to Mr Morón.
At present there are several investigations under way into alleged crew abuse on fishing vessels belonging to Asian fleets, plus murder investigations of ships flying the Chinese and Taiwanese flags.
