Study: Food Safety a Top Concern for Chinese Seafood Consumers

The Global Seafood Alliance (GSA) recently conducted a survey of nearly 3,000 consumers in China to better understand consumer purchasing decisions and the influence and awareness of the Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) label.

A total of 2,698 consumers were surveyed in 31 provinces, with 91% of those surveyed being under the age of 40. About 90% of those surveyed said they believe seafood is a better choice than red meat and intend to increase their seafood consumption. The study also found that Millennials have the highest seafood consumption of any age group, with 53% consuming seafood at least once a week.

When asked which factors have the most influence on their decision to purchase seafood, the hygiene of the processing facility (56%) and the environment that the seafood is produced in, or food safety (51%), came in second and third respectively, behind only price (65%). In addition, 84% of consumers said that the certificate and testing report related to food safety is something that would persuade them to purchase seafood products.

The study also found that the BAP label has a significant impact on consumers’ decision to purchase seafood, with 62% of consumers saying they would prefer to purchase products that have the BAP label.

Said Steve Hart, VP of market development at GSA, “The demand for seafood with assurances is growing all around the world, including in China. Chinese consumers want to be confident when purchasing seafood, and the results of this survey show that the BAP program is a great fit for the Chinese market because our program encompasses the issues that are most important to them, which was clearly food safety. Since our program is comprehensive and covers what we call our four pillars, food safety, environmental responsibility, social welfare and animal health, it really is a great fit for markets all around the world where consumers have different priorities.”

About Best Aquaculture Practices

Best Aquaculture Practices is a third-party certification program developed by the Global Seafood Alliance, an international, nonprofit trade association headquartered in Portsmouth, N.H., USA, dedicated to advancing environmentally and socially responsible seafood practices through education, advocacy and third-party assurances. Through the development of its Best Aquaculture Practices and Best Seafood Practices certification standards, GSA has become the leading standards-setting organization for seafood.