ARE RETAILERS’ PREFERENCES FOR SEAFOOD ATTRIBUTES PREDICTIVE FOR CONSUMER WANTS? RESULTS FROM A CHOICE EXPERIMENT FOR SEABREAM (Sparus aurata)

Abstract

Aquaculture production has grown considerably in the southern countries of Europe during the last two decades. This increase in supply has not been matched by an equivalent rise in consumer demand, resulting in price decay. For farmed seabream (Sparus aurata) this article examines which attributes and claims are able to successfully influence Spanish consumers' perceived value of seafood and to which degree consumers and retailers in a traditional fish market differ in their choice reaction to these attributes. A heteroscedastic logit model was used to assess the impact of seafood claims on consumer choice and to test for differences in attribute preferences between retailers and consumers. Results indicate that both consumers and retailers agree in their marginal willingness to pay for wild, over farmed, seabream. However, they differ in the extent to which the disutility from farmed production can be offset by the declaration of domestic origin, sustainability certifications, and presence of health benefits or safety claims. Results suggest an asymmetry between retailer and consumer preferences that might explain why seabream differentiated by claims still struggles to find the desired retail distribution.