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"Nytt fra HAVBRUK" newsletter no. 3-4/2009:

Unpredictable consumers in a stable market

European consumers are unpredictable when it comes to their preferences for fish – yet demand remains surprisingly stable. If priced attractively, farmed cod may have a good chance of succeeding on the market.

Norwegian farmed cod is a relatively new product on the European market. Salmon has long been nearly synonymous with farmed salmon, but when it comes to cod, European consumers expect the wild variety. Convincing them that the quality of farmed cod is equal to wild cod will be a key factor for success.

Choosy Frenchmen

The Norwegian University for Life Sciences (UMB) conducted interviews of and taste tests among French consumers to gain greater insight into European consumer behaviour and preferences when buying fish. The study is part of the project “Farmed Cod in the European Market: Market Potential and Substitution Effects”, funded by the Research Council of Norway under the Food Programme. France was not a randomly chosen test market – it is the most important market for Norwegian fish in Europe.

The project is profiled in the most recent newsletter from the HAVBRUK programme (“Nytt fra HAVBRUK” no. 3-4/2009, available in Norwegian only), which illustrates the breadth and diversity of Norwegian aquaculture research.

Delicious served cod. Farmed cod may have a good chance of succeeding on the Frensh market. (Photo: Kim Holthe/EFF)

Taste test

In one of the trials – a taste test – the test persons sampled farmed cod, wild cod, salmon, monkfish and pangassius.

“Salmon won, hands down. There’s no doubt about it – the French prefer it to all other fish,” said Kyrre Rickertsen of UMB, who is heading the project.

“Monkfish came in a strong second, but cod did well too. There were few differences in preference for wild and farmed cod. Many taste testers preferred the farmed variety. Over 10 per cent reported that farmed cod tasted the best of all five types of fish. The pangassius got the lowest rating.”

Older consumers more partial to wild cod

There were also certain differences in preference among age groups.
“Older people tend to be more traditional and will generally buy wild fish if given the choice. They are also more inclined to purchase whole fish, for example at a fish market. Younger consumers, on the other hand, are very positive to farmed cod and are more apt to buy fish packaged in portion sizes, probably because it is easier to prepare.”

Price is essential

All the consumers participating in the study eat a variety of types of fish. The choices they make at the supermarket at any given time depend greatly on the selection available, price and what appeals to them at the fish counter. All in all, European consumers make up a relatively stable market for fish, but individual purchasing habits often vary significantly.

“Most likely, people decide to buy fish for dinner before going to the shop, but what they end up buying is dependent on price, among other factors. If salmon is expensive and cod is cheap, consumers will eat more cod. But if salmon prices are low it will be hard for cod to gain a foothold in the market.”

The right price

Consumers may also expect farmed cod to be cheaper than wild cod – which is not the case today.

“This is perhaps the biggest barrier Norwegian farmed cod must overcome on the European market,” says Professor Rickertsen.

“Production costs for farmed cod are currently high, which inhibits sales. However, on the whole consumers are positive to farmed cod. If the price is right, it will have considerable market potential.”