Study Shows Most Chinese Consumers Willing to Pay More for BAP Products
Global Seafood Alliance (GSA) recently conducted a survey of more than 3,000 consumers in China to better understand consumer purchasing decisions and the awareness of the Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) label.
A total of 3,079 consumers were surveyed by a third party, with more than half of survey respondents being 30 years old or younger. Results showed that consumers prefer seafood over other types of protein, especially in coastal areas. When asked where they purchase seafood most often, respondents said the wet market followed by the supermarket and then restaurants.
When asked which issues they are most concerned with (on a scale from 1-5, 5 being very concerned) when purchasing seafood, food safety was number one (4.6) followed by environmental responsibility (4.31) and traceability (4.14).
When asked if they recognized the BAP label, 26% of respondents said that they had seen the BAP label before and more than 60% said they are more inclined to purchase a product with the BAP label.
The study also found that almost 80% of consumers are willing to pay more for seafood that comes from producers that are third-party certified, with 15.62% willing to pay a premium of more than 10%.
“We’ve been actively promoting the BAP logo in the Chinese market, knowing that consumers there value the assurances the BAP program provides,” said Steve Hart, GSA’s Vice President of Market Development. “Having nearly 80% of consumers say that they are willing to pay more for BAP seafood speaks to how important these issues are in this market.”
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.
