Sustainable Seafood Consumption in Action: Relevant Behaviors and their Predictors

Isabel Richter,Christian Klöckner,John Thøgersen

doi:10.3390/su9122313

Isabel Richter, Christian Klöckner + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/su9122313

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Abstract

Within the discussion around sustainable diets, seafood consumption is still a relatively neglected field. This article discusses relevant behaviours consumers can perform to consume seafood sustainably. The predictive power of intention, descriptive social norms, trust, awareness and pro-environmental attitudes are theoretically discussed and statistically tested across two studies in regards to (a) using sustainable seafood labels, and (b) using sustainable seafood guides. Data analysis (N1 = 309, N2 = 881 Norwegian adults) shows that intentions, social norms and trust predict seafood label use across studies. The variables predicting seafood guide use are less stable which might be due to this behaviour being performed by a very small fraction of consumers only. Causal relationships have been identified in study 2 by applying cross-lagged panel analyses between intentions, trust and social norms and seafood label use. Further causal relationships were found between intentions, trust and awareness and seafood guide use. A bidirectional relationship was confirmed between descriptive social norms and seafood guide use. Potential strategies to promote seafood label- and seafood guide use, are discussed based on these results.

Highlights

Extensive fishing and fish farming for human consumption is a major threat to marine biodiversity [1,2,3,4]
Seafood label and guide use are significantly predicted by intentions for sustainable seafood consumption, which suggests that the use of labels and guides is part of a conscious plan to consume more sustainable seafood
Seafood is a substantial component of the Norwegian diet with room for improvement when it comes to sustainability, as reflected in a low prevalence of sustainable seafood consumption practices in both our samples

Summary

Introduction

Extensive fishing and fish farming for human consumption is a major threat to marine biodiversity [1,2,3,4]. Significant changes in seafood production and consumption, especially in industrialised countries, are needed if fish shall be part of human diets in the future [8,9]. In addition to the variables included in the model, we include a measure of awareness about sustainable seafood guides because the results from Study 1 indicate very little knowledge about them. We recruited the participants for study 2 from a Norwegian survey panel in autumn 2015. The pattern of seafood consumption was very similar to sample 1, with fish as a main meal three times per week on average (M = 3.12; SD = 1.17 Min = 1; Max = 6), meat four times (M = 4.09; SD = 1.33; Min = 1; Max = 6) and vegetarian meals less than two per week (M = 1.83; SD = 1.25; Min = 1; Max = 6)

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