Understanding fish consumption behaviour in Australia

While the health benefits of eating fish are well established, Australian seafood consumption remains below the average for industrialised nations. While considerable research has been conducted into fish consumption in European countries, little research has been conducted on how and why Australians consume fish. This research sought to address that gap by investigating Australian consumers’ consumption of, and attitudes toward, Finfish. The research objectives sought to determine current fish consumption, future consumption intentions, drivers for and barriers to fish consumption, and the impact of convenience orientation, health involvement, food involvement, food-related lifestyle, and personal characteristics on fish consumption. An online survey of 899 people was administered in June 2010 via an online consumer panel. Respondents were screened for fish consumption and selected for regular, light, and very light fishconsumption. The research revealed that fish consumption is influenced by evaluative and affective attitudes including perceptions of the sensory qualities of fish and hedonic attributes, extrinsic cues (branding, packaging, labelling, display, point of sale information, pricing), preferences, perceived benefits (taste, convenience, health, diet variety and versatility) and perceived barriers (price, availability, concerns about fish safety and lack of knowledge and confidence in selecting, storing, serving and preparing fish). Other factors found to influence fish consumption included social norms or acceptability, moral obligations (to the household, sustainable and humane production, and local industry), and commercial and non-commercial influences. Fish consumption was also found to be impacted by past experience, habits, childhood fish consumption, convenience orientation, foodrelated lifestyle, consumption occasion and personal characteristics