Study Shows Food Safety a Top Concern for Japanese Seafood Consumers
The Global Seafood Alliance (GSA) recently conducted a survey of 3,000 seafood consumers in Japan to better understand purchasing decisions and awareness of the Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) label.
The consumers surveyed are between the ages of 16 and 65 and consume fish at least two to three times a month. When asked to rank the pillars of responsible seafood in order of importance to them – environmental sustainability, social accountability, food safety, animal welfare and traceability – 68% said food safety was the most important, followed by environmental sustainability at 23.1%.
When asked which part of the aquaculture production chain was most important for conducting a third-party audit, more than a third (36.4%) said that all parts of the production chain are important, followed by the farm at 28.1%.
The study also found that about 15% of consumers have seen the BAP label before, with 4.8% of consumers saying they know what the label means.
“The GSA has a focused initiative to increase the visibility of the BAP label in Japan, aligning with the rising consciousness around food safety and sustainability,” said Denise Gurshin, Senior Director of Market Development. “The recent survey revealed that nearly half of the respondents expressed willingness to preferentially purchase BAP-certified products, which speaks to the value of our certification program.”
About Global Seafood Alliance
The Global Seafood Alliance is an international, nonprofit trade association dedicated to advancing responsible seafood practices through education, advocacy and third-party assurances. Through the development of its certification programs, GSA has become the leading provider of assurances for wild and farmed seafood globally. The organization’s work addresses the full spectrum of responsibility, from environmental responsibility and social accountability to food safety. Established in 1997 as the Global Aquaculture Alliance, GSA is headquartered in Portsmouth, N.H., USA. To learn more, visit www.globalseafood.org
