Our future with fish Investigating customer attitudes, behaviours and motivations
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
Our future with fish
Investigating customer attitudes,
behaviours and motivations
Our future with fish 1
Foreword
By Justin King, Sainsbury’s CEO
“ To put it simply, if we stick with eating
just a few species of fish, there will not be
enough supplies of our favourite fish left
to go around.
“All of us need to broaden our minds and appetites by buying and cooking
currently less familiar species of fish. Doing so will help all species survive,
ensuring we have sustainable supplies of this healthy protein to eat in the
future. In particular, we need to eat more than just the five most popular fish
choices – tuna, cod, salmon, haddock and prawns.
“We want to encourage more consumers to vary the fish in their diet. But we
know there’s no simple, overnight solution. At Sainsbury’s, we recognise our
campaigns like Switch the Fish are about gradual change that will, over time,
build momentum. We see it as a long-term investment.
“We’re proud to be the UK’s leading retailer of independently certified
sustainable fish. We want to build on our existing knowledge, to better
understand why our customers have the current preferences they do, and
how we can persuade them to broaden their repertoire to include new and
sustainable fish species.”
2 Our future with fish Our future with fish 3
Comment
By Richard Benyon, Minister for the Natural Environment
“As the UK Fisheries Minister, encouraging
people to eat sustainable fish is a subject
very close to my heart.
“My day-to-day work is focused on safeguarding our natural marine environment
for future generations to enjoy. The UK is leading the way internationally to
make sure that our seas and fish stocks stay healthy, and I’m delighted to see
Sainsbury’s is continuing to push for change.
“But the problem of diminishing fish stocks remains. We still have important
work to do in Europe to mend the broken common fisheries policy, which has
contributed to the depleted state of our fish stocks. Fixing it means we will
have a secure supply of fish as a healthy food source, without destroying fish
stocks and damaging the marine environment.
“But while I continue to push for this reform in Europe, not all the problems
lie with the broken common fisheries policy and there is much that we can
all do closer to home to help the cause. We must learn to adjust our own
individual behaviours, to broaden our tastes away from the main five species
of fish which are under such environmental pressure. Fish like dab and coley
are just as delicious as some of the more well-known species.
“However, until we can find these types of fish on the supermarket shelves
as easily as the more famous species, our old habits will remain. Retailers
and consumers have huge power through the choices they make to help
achieve healthy fish stocks, profitable fishing businesses and vibrant coastal
communities. Again, I would like to congratulate Sainsbury’s for all the work
it’s doing on this globally important issue.”
4 Our future with fish Our future with fish 5
Introduction
By Ally Dingwall, Sainsbury’s Aquaculture The ‘big five’ fish species
and Fisheries Manager
When we talk about the ‘big five’ we mean the fish species which have the highest
consumption levels in the UK.
e have commissioned this report in
W
association with the Future Foundation
to bring together an assessment of
anticipated trends, motives and behaviours
tuna cod salmon
for buying, cooking and eating fish.
“Our aim is to continue the debate and interest in sustainable, alternative fish
choices and, above all, to help our customers make considered choices about
the fish they buy.
haddock prawns
“We have worked with the Future Foundation to conduct an original programme
of consumer and expert research, examining trends in consumption of fish
Alternative fish are, simply, any other fish outside of the ‘big five’.
over the past three decades, and identifying some of the social, economic,
and geographic factors impacting on our consumption of fish. As a result,
the following report reviews the impact of Sainsbury’s own fish sales and “We always assess the biological state of any given fishery, and what
campaigns, plus some of the social and economic influencers impacting on management regime it may need. We have developed a sustainability rating
our national, everyday attitudes to one of our best sources of healthy protein. system with our main fish industry partners, and we apply this to all the fish
we sell. We continually push ourselves towards our goal of getting all our fish
“Our intention in presenting this research is to understand some of the ‘green-rated’ and ultimately independently certified, which means the source
consumer drivers of our fish eating habits, and how they are changing is sustainable. We do not sell any red rated fish.
over time. Understanding the customer perspective is of vital importance
if producers and retailers of fish are to continue to meet the challenge of “Challenging our reliance on the ‘big five’ is an important part of that drive
putting a diverse and sustainable array of fish on the UK ‘menu’ in years to come. towards sustainability. But alternative does not automatically mean a fish
species is also sustainable. All our fish choices, whether from the big five
or alternative species, need individual assessment for sustainability.”
6 Our future with fish Our future with fish 7
Contents Page
Chapter one of this report looks at trends in overall levels of fish 10
consumption amongst UK adults, and at trends in the share of fish
consumption accounted for by the ‘big five’ species versus alternative
fish. In assessing future prospects, we identify key drivers and
barriers to eating fish in general, and alternative fish in particular.
Chapter two examines key influencers on fish consumption. We look 20
at the role of family members, celebrity chefs and other ‘external’
influencers, including the role of UK retailers, in shaping the fish
we choose and the way we eat it.
Chapter three looks in more detail at the relationship between 28
fish and health. Examining the potential benefits of fish to the
UK diet, we see how far our increasing awareness of health and
nutrition extends to fish.
Chapter four looks at fish in the context of the family. We explore 41
recent trends in children’s consumption of fish, how changes in
family eating habits may be impacting children’s fish consumption,
and the barriers parents face in encouraging their children to eat fish.
8 Our future with fish Our future with fish 9
The current picture: what’s encouraging and discouraging
us from eating fish
Factors impacting on the amount of fish people eat
Key:
4% Encouraged
51% 2% me to eat
more fish
Makes no
difference
78% 64%
48%
Encouraged
me to eat
less fish
1%
18% 33%
Concerns about
Health sustainability Concern about
concerns or over-fishing rising prices
CHAPTER 1 Base: 2,014 UK adults who eat fish Source: Sainsbury’s / The Future Foundation 2012
UK fish It seems that personal well-being is the primary driver for increasing fish
consumption, with 51 per cent of our survey respondents saying that health
concerns had encouraged them to eat more fish this year than last. Only one
consumption per cent said that health concerns encouraged them to eat less.
However, against the major driver of health, there are several reasons cited for
trends and not eating fish. Most commonly mentioned is price, with 33 per cent of UK adults
in our survey saying that ‘concern over the rising price of fish’ had encouraged
them to eat less fish in the past year, and 46 per cent saying that cost is a barrier
predictions to eating fish in general. Other significant barriers to eating fish are lack of recipe
knowledge (34 per cent), lack of availability of fresh fish in local shops (28 per
cent), lack of time to prepare from scratch (28 per cent), ‘not liking the smell
it makes’ (24 per cent)1 and difficulties planning ahead for meals (17 per cent).
The average UK adult is eating more fish than a Prices of most major foods in the UK have seen significant increases in recent
generation ago. Trend data from the National Food years. The share of total household spending on food fell from more than a
quarter in the 1960s to one pound in every ten by the mid-2000s. But recently
Survey (NFS) and Expenditure and Food Survey the trend has reversed. Food now accounts for 12 per cent of total household
(EFS) show how per-head consumption of fish is spending. This figure rises to 16 per cent among the UK’s poorest households.
now around two per cent higher than in 1975.
10 Our future with fish Our future with fish 11
A special analysis of the impact of price rises on UK eating habits published Development of more selective fishing technology and better
by DEFRA in March 2012 shows that consumers are spending more on almost use of catches
all foods, while also ‘trading down’ to cheaper alternatives and reducing the Everyone in the fishing industry has a vested interest in limiting ‘by-catch’ –
amount they buy. When it comes to fish, UK consumers appear reluctant which is fish unintentionally caught in most fishing gear - and discards. Better
to spend more, so have responded to price rises solely by ‘trading down’, fishing technology that, for example, has introduced nets designed to reduce
or reducing the amount they buy. by-catch can help fishermen limit discards. There are also initiatives and
trials aimed at making sure that a greater share of what is caught gets used.
Consumption of fish may well be influenced by another important factor
however, which comes through in our survey data: concerns about sustainability. An ageing population
A further important factor as we move through to 2030 will be a significant
Some 18 per cent of fish-eating adults said they were eating less fish because of demographic shift to an older UK population. The acceleration begins
sustainability concerns. Of these, 40 per cent said it was because of confusion dramatically from around 2015 as the UK’s ‘baby-boom’ generation starts to
about which fish are sustainable. Another 37 per cent cited the variability in turn 60. Trends show that older people eat more fish than other age groups,
the meaning of sustainability between supermarket retailers. The third most so an increase in demand is likely to follow.
common reason, at 35 per cent, was the cost of sustainable fish. It therefore
appears that sustainability issues can influence consumption trends. A return to disposable income growth
We assume that a return to gradual but steady increases in household spending
power2 from 2013 to 2030 will serve to steady the proportion of household
spending on fish. This is despite the general upward pressure on current prices
Looking ahead - future trends in the fish economy
coupled with the economic slowdown which has resulted in the recent dip in
consumer spending on fish.
More efficient and less wasteful ways of producing and catching fish, plus a
broadening consumer appetite for currently less popular fish, can result in
a sustainable increase in the supply of fish to consumers.
Increased health awareness
Between 1980 and 2011, tracking data shows the proportion of UK adults who
said that ‘staying fit and healthy’ was a personal concern rose from 56 per
Eating a wider range of fish will help take pressure off the most popular fish
cent to 78 per cent. At the same time, much of the population has become
stocks. With more people on the planet than ever, we need to develop broader
more aware of health issues connected to eating too much fat and calories.
buying habits. Increasingly choosing alternative fish with sustainable, long-term
fishery management regimes means we can make more available for everyone
In an even shorter time-span, awareness of omega-3 fatty acids as good for
while caring for the future well-being of fish supplies.
health has grown significantly among UK adults. We expect health concerns,
and awareness of the health benefits of fish, to continue to rise, boosted
Development of feed technology for aquaculture
further by an ageing UK population with a greater preference for fish.
According to the United Nations, aquaculture - farming fish in sea cages, inland
reservoirs or enclosures - is one of the fastest growing sources of protein in
the world today.
The rise of epicurean taste
While unevenly spread across the population, there are significant cultural
trends towards more adventurous cooking and a serious appetite for
While the demand for food supplies to feed farmed fish has previously been a
discovering new and unusual foods. This growing group of UK adults, who
problem to aquaculture sustainability, innovations are in progress. These are
aspire to be experts about food and enjoy experimenting with new recipes,
allowing fish farmers to produce fish more efficiently, with increasingly better
provides an ideal market for the alternative fish offer.
‘feed to fish’ conversion ratios. Sainsbury’s is also finding ways to reduce the
marine content of fish feed, by adding more vegetable material. This further
improves the sustainability of farmed fish.
12 Our future with fish Our future with fish 13
We have mapped all these long-term trends in fish consumption against an Eating alternative fish: barriers and drivers
analysis of how fish consumption changes as people age, and demographic Returning now to the subject of alternative fish, our survey reveals that
forecasts. This gives us an estimate for overall levels of fish consumption in many types of alternative fish are already well-known and well-liked by large
the UK from now to 2030. proportions of UK adults. 81 per cent have eaten plaice, 79 per cent have eaten
mackerel, 72 per cent trout, 60 per cent herring, and 59 per cent pollock.
In every case, the great majority who have eaten these fish say that they like
Total weekly fish consumption by UK adults, 2012 - 2030 them. Other species are popular, but have not yet been tried by the majority
of UK adults; for example, 47 per cent have tried monkfish, and 44 per cent
10,000,000
have tried coley.
9,000,000
8,000,000
Going further down the list of the ‘little 50’ (Sainsbury’s has sold more than 50
different ‘alternative’ types of fish and seafood in the past two years), we find
7,000,000 growing proportions of adults haven’t yet tried them. For example, only one in
6,000,000 ten fish-eating adults have ever tried pouting and only eight per cent megrim.
5,000,000
So, the great majority of UK adults have already eaten and enjoyed a range of
4,000,000 Total weekly kilograms fish and fish that extends well beyond the ‘big five’ – there is plenty of positive consumer
seafood consumed by UK adults
3,000,000
experience to build on. But it is equally clear that lack of familiarity remains
a challenge as we go further down the list of fish species. While around
2,000,000 three-quarters of fish eating adults who have never tried various alternative
1,000,000 fish types say they would be ‘happy to try’ them, this still leaves one in four
– despite eating other types of fish - saying that they simply ‘do not want to
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
2027
2028
2029
2030
try’ unfamiliar alternative species.
Sources: NFS / EFS / GAD / Sainsbury’s / The Future Foundation 2012
This said, overcoming our inbuilt reluctance to try new things is getting easier
over time – with both children and adults in the UK more willing than in the past
The forecast shows that adults’ weekly consumption of fish in the UK will grow to try new foods. Our increasingly cosmopolitan attitudes towards eating is a
from just under eight million kilograms today, to 9.23 million kilograms by 2030, fundamental driver of uptake for alternative fish, guaranteeing lively interest
an increase of 17 per cent. Yearly, this equates to a total UK adult consumption in alternative fish in coming years.
of 410,000 metric tonnes of fish in 2012, rising to around 480,000 metric
tonnes in 2030. Added to cosmopolitan lifestyle, is price. While alternative fish are not
necessarily cheaper, species such as pollock and coley are more cost-effective
This forecast represents a four per cent increase in fish consumption for each alternatives to cod, and this will be an important factor in increasing levels
person by 2030. Much of this is down to the ageing profile of the population, of consumption in the future. At the same time, the fact that alternative fish
with the percentage of UK adults who are aged over 65 set to rise from 21 per occupy a much broader price point range suggests that there are benefits, not
cent in 2012 to 27 per cent in 2030. only to consumers wanting to limit food expenditure, but also to those seeking
premium products as part of the UK ‘foodie’ culture. We note in this connection
But we must also account for the expected growth in the UK adult population. the recent success of sea bass, which is by no means a ‘budget’ alternative.
This is set to rise from 51.4 million in 2012 to 57.8 million by 20303. So the overall
weekly consumption of fish in the UK will rise from around 8,000 metric tonnes
a year in 2012, to around 9,200 metric tonnes by 2030.
14 Our future with fish Our future with fish 15
Volume of fish sales accounted for by the ‘big five’ species
Examining Sainsbury’s product sales data4 over an entire 24-month period,
from 2010 through 2011, there is an underlying downward trend in the share of
fish sales accounted for by the ‘big five’. However, sales of ‘alternative’ choices
are on the rise.
This underlying upward trend in volume sales of alternative fish products is
apparent in most subcategories of fish. It is, however, most notable in fresh
pre-packed fish, with alternative fish sales up from 11.6 per cent of units sold to
13.2 per cent between 2010 and 2011. In frozen fish the alternative fish volume
sales rose from 44.9 per cent to 46.1 per cent over the same time period.
The chart below shows that on this basis we can expect a steady, continuing
increase in the proportion of fish sold in the UK that is outside of the ‘big five’.
Percentage of fish products sold that are ‘alternative’, 2012 - 2030
100%
90%
Percentage of fish products sold
80% that are ‘alternative fish’
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
2027
2028
2029
2030
Sources: Sainsbury’s / The Future Foundation 2012
The chart shows our prediction for the proportion of alternative fish volume
sales. From having a 34.7 per cent share of all fish products sold today, alternative
fish choices will account for just over half of fish products sold in 2030.
16 Our future with fish Our future with fish 17
Fish of the future
While the ‘big five’ still dominate the consumer
shopping basket, there are signs that some of
the lesser-known species are gaining popularity. Pollock: One of the UK’s most eaten, but least recognised, alternative fish.
Some 83 per cent of consumers who had eaten pollock said they liked it.
Sainsbury’s sales data suggests the following are Many processed fish foods contain pollock, so people are often eating it
the rising stars of the fish counter: regularly but unknowingly. Sales of fresh pollock also advanced well during
the past year, rising by 15 per cent between 2010 and 2011.
Coley: Also known as saithe in Scotland, coley is a sweet-tasting fish with a light
Sea bass: A popular performer during 2011, with volume of sales rising by texture. It is similar to cod, but with a darker colour that lightens on cooking.
57 per cent. After being included in the Switch the Fish campaign in June 2011, counter sales
of coley reached over half a million units in the remainder of 2011, rising by 16 per
cent on the same period in the previous year.
Hake: After putting hake on the fresh fish counter during last year’s Switch
the Fish campaign, Sainsbury’s has notched up 40,000 unit sales. A mild fish,
with a more subtle flavour than cod, hake is popular in Spain because of its firm, Tilapia: Sales of this fish have grown enormously over the past two years,
sweet, white meat and medium flake. Of consumers who had eaten hake in with Sainsbury’s volumes more than doubling, and sales rising by 117 per cent
our research, 84 per cent said they liked it, making it the second choice of between 2010 and 2011 following the introduction of two new tilapia products.
alternative fish after plaice. Tilapia is one of the world’s most popular farmed fish, and because of its
vegetarian diet has great potential for being sustainably farmed in the future.
Tilapia is already the fifth-most popular fish in the United States.
18 Our future with fish Our future with fish 19We asked Nick Southgate, Behavioural Economics Consultant
at the Institute of Practitioners of Advertising, to explain the
challenges and strategies for promoting fish.
“Celebrity chefs have become important in shaping perceptions,
but there can be a real performance anxiety about cooking. If you
don’t know about something you tend to worry about it going
wrong rather than right, which is what makes people conservative in their food
choices. So we have to find a way of teaching people a rule that you’re allowed to
fail in the kitchen, or find ways of limiting how wrong it can go.
“Good marketing techniques include increasing the amount of alternative fish
through ‘mix and match’ deals, or offering any ‘alternative fish’ at half price when
you buy a ‘big five’ fish, so people will choose it to finish the deal.
“If your aim is to get new fish varieties in the shopping basket, then it makes
perfect sense to use these tactics. The motivations are often the simplest ones.
People can then pick up the sustainability message off the back of them.
“One example that’s still moving a lot of fish off the counter in this country is
people eating fish on Friday, and that is a great, simple rule. If we could get more
people on the ‘fish on Friday’ habit that would be fantastic.”
CHAPTER 2
Fish consumption
influencers and
the role of UK
“ e have to find a way of
W
teaching people a rule that
you’re allowed to fail in
the kitchen, or find ways of
“
retailers limiting how wrong it can go.
20 Our future with fish Our future with fish 21The retailer as influencer, educator and guardian of choice
Things that influence the way we cook and eat fish
Overall, 24 per cent of people questioned felt supermarkets directly influenced
their choices of fish. There was a noticeable evenness of ages amongst
respondents sharing this view, suggesting that retailers have the ability to reach
out to people across the generations.
The research also found:
45% 35% 34% 29% Around 28 per cent of people mainly shopping at Sainsbury’s for fish say
•
TV chefs showing TV documentaries about fish / Experiencing new fish dishes Cookbooks
how to cook fish the fishing industry while abroad / on holiday their fish choices have been influenced by retailer campaigns or retailer
information. This is the highest proportion of any major UK supermarket’s
main customers.
In second place was Morrisons. One in four of their customers said they
•
were influenced by retailer campaigns or information. And third was Asda
at 24 per cent.
27% 24% 22% 14%
Mother Retailer campaigns
or information about
Finding new fish
recipes on the Internet
Government campaigns or
Government information
Among the ‘big four’ supermarkets, the lowest proportion of fish-eating
•
fish at my supermarket about fish customers influenced by retailer campaigns or information were those of
Tesco, at 21 per cent.
This analysis suggests that a strong retailer commitment to influencing and
As the graphic shows:
educating customers about fish is starting to yield benefits and influence
Almost half of all UK adults say the way they cook and eat fish has been
• shopping behaviour.
influenced by celebrity chefs. And 35 per cent say they have been influenced
by TV documentaries about fishing. Retailers offer choice and product information. Yet before this they inevitably
have to choose what goes on the shelves, with buyers selecting product
• E
xperiencing new fish dishes while on holiday is also important in changing
ranges from the wealth of offers from food producers and manufacturers.
the way we cook and eat fish, especially among older consumers.
• S
ome 29 per cent of people say cookbooks are an important source of recipe Shoppers also admit they do not always have the time available to weigh-up
inspiration, while 22 per cent of people seek new recipes on the Internet. all the information during a supermarket trip that must fit in with a hectic
work and family schedule. One in five of our respondents say they shop ‘in a
hurry’; ten per cent have children in tow; and 17 per cent confess to shopping
‘on autopilot’.
Our survey reveals that 39 per cent said they thought about prices or compared
price information on their last supermarket shopping trip. But only 18 per cent
of adults said that they read or thought about nutrition. And just seven per
cent said they read or thought about environmental concerns.
22 Our future with fish Our future with fish 23This is not to say that nutritional and environmental issues are failing to shape Labelling and Marine Stewardship Council
our shopping choices in the long term. They are, and retailers have a role to (MSC) certification
play in communicating key messages to consumers as part of the shopping
experience. But when it comes to the reality of everyday life, people are looking
Sainsbury’s is the largest UK retailer of MSC certified sustainable fish products.
to retailers to help make life simple, and that includes product information.
By the end of next year around 90 per cent of the wild fish sold by Sainsbury’s
will have MSC certification and carry the eco-label. While Sainsbury’s are
There is also an underlying expectation that retailers will take a responsible
leading the way, others are following, and at a global level too. MSC-certified
approach to the products they sell. For many shoppers, the single and most
products now sell in more than 70 countries worldwide.
significant practical choice they have time to make is who they shop with.
Those supermarkets with buying policies that chime with their customers’
Carrying the MSC eco-label on packaging gives a retailer the ability to
concerns will make life simpler for the shopper.
communicate a very simple, clear message to consumers that the product
comes from a well-managed and sustainable fishery.
To achieve this, retailers need to work ever more closely with other agencies,
and especially environmental accreditation bodies, to provide the consumer
with independent assurance. The credibility of the retailer’s ethical or
environmental claims rests on the associations that they have with the Eco-labels: recognition and impact
organisations they use for product validation and assessment.
Fairtrade Freedom Foods Energy Saving Trust
Sainsbury’s 2011 Switch the Fish campaign
7% 5% 19%
5%
16%
58% 30% 51% 43%
On 17 June 2011, in a UK first, Sainsbury’s offered any customer asking for one of the
‘big five’ species at the fish counter, a sustainable, lesser known alternative for free. 20%
22% 18%
This unprecedented move allowed shoppers to try varieties such as pouting and
coley in a risk-free way. The offer resonated with customers, week-on-week sales
of all fish went up 12 per cent in volume on the Switch the Fish day and sustainable
fish varieties went up 32 per cent year-on-year and 40 per cent week-on-week. Forest Stewardship Council Marine Stewardship Council Key to labels
Know what it means, does
The campaign brought to life the UK’s dependence on the ‘big five’ species, encourage buying product
19% 20%
encouraging consumers to widen the range of fish they eat as well as make Know what it means, doesn’t
make a difference
53%
sustainable choices from the ones they already enjoy.
30% 13%
Seen it, but don’t know what
it means
The impact of the campaign appears to have been sustained through 2011.
Following the initial phase of the Switch the Fish campaign, Sainsbury’s saw counter
29%
Forest Stewardship
Council
21% 14% Not seen it before
sales of alternative fish varieties such as coley, pouting, rainbow trout, hake and
Base: 2,014 UK adults who ever eat fish Sources: Sainsbury’s / The Future Foundation 2012
megrim total some 524,000 units between July and December 2011, compared
with 434,000 units in the same period in 2010 – an increase of 21 per cent.
As the graphic above shows, most consumers recognise the most common
eco-labels. But aside from the Fairtrade logo, which almost six in ten respondents
said they recognised and which encouraged them to buy, no other eco-label
yet has majority recognition and understanding in the UK. However, eco-
accreditation is still growing and evolving. Where Fairtrade leads, others are
likely to follow.
24 Our future with fish Our future with fish 25The MSC label has experienced strong growth in awareness over the last Who influences the way we cook and eat fish?
couple of years. Research carried out in the USA, Canada, UK, Germany,
France and Japan in 2010 shows that, across these regions, 23 per cent of the Overall, 72 per cent of respondents said that when it came to cooking and
adult population is now aware of the MSC eco-label – up from nine per cent in eating fish, someone they knew influenced them. This suggests that it is the
2008. With more and more products gaining certification, the MSC label will people around us, past and present, who shape our fish-eating habits.
become more prevalent. As a result recognition is set to increase further.
Not surprisingly perhaps, the proportion of people saying that they have no
Our data suggests that MSC labelling has a real power among the one in three personal influencers about how they cook fish increases in older age groups.
UK adults that know it. And among those understanding each eco-label, the Around 40 per cent of 55 to 64 year-olds say they have no influencers,
highest proportion who said the label ‘encourages me to buy the product’ – compared with 14 per cent of 16 to 24 year-olds. That this group at such an early
some 64 per cent was found among those who understood the MSC eco-label. age has no source of guidance about eating fish, even from family members,
gives cause for concern.
Persons who most influence the way we cook and eat fish
27% 21% 8% 6%
Mum Husband, wife Dad Girlfriend
or civil partner or boyfriend
3% 2% 2% 1%
Grandmother Children Friends Grandfather
As the graphic above illustrates:
Mums come top as the people with the most fish influence, with 27 per cent
•
of people saying their Mum is their main influence in the way they cook
and eat fish.
Husbands and wives come second, with 21 per cent, while the increased
•
presence of Dads in the kitchen comes through in an eight per cent showing.
26 Our future with fish Our future with fish 27Annie Denny, Sainsbury’s Nutritionist, on key trends that are
making our diets more and less healthy, and the importance of
fish as a food choice.
“ There are different perspectives about whether we are getting
healthier as a nation. We know that obesity has increased, but if you
look at vitamin and mineral deficiencies, or consumption of total fat,
you can see that our diets have in some ways improved.
“As a population, we’re now over-nourished compared to historically being under-
nourished. However, this doesn’t mean to say that everyone is getting enough
essential vitamins and minerals. Both calcium intakes and vitamin D deficiencies
are an issue, and iron is often a mineral teenagers lack. Riboflavin and some of
the B vitamins are also of some concern for children.
“If you were to swap from fattier foods
at meals to white fish, then you’re most
likely swapping to a lower calorie option.
This will have an impact on your calorie
intake and therefore potentially your weight
over time as well. Fish is a really good
provider of vitamins and minerals too.
“One of the key ways in which switching to
more fish in the diet would be of benefit
is that oily fish tends to be higher in the
unsaturated fats and omega-3, whereas
meat tends to be higher in saturated fat.
“The role of fish at the centre of a meal
is also important in creating a balanced
diet. People are far more likely to serve vegetables alongside fish as part of a
CHAPTER 3 family evening meal, than they would be with something like pizza. So eating fish
can even drive the ‘five-a-day’ target for fruit and vegetables!
The impact of “One of the perceptions we need to work on is the idea that fish is inconvenient
to cook. If anything it can be quicker to cook than meat. Retailers can help to
fish on UK health
communicate this message and demonstrate how fish is both convenient and healthy.”
28 Our future with fish Our future with fish 29Awareness of UK fish consumption guidelines Demographic and geographical variations in fish
consumption and knowledge
Government guidelines tell us we should all eat two portions of fish each
week. We asked our survey respondents to tell us what they knew about Differences in frequency of consumption by age, gender and income
eating certain food and healthy eating recommendations. Overall, our survey data suggests an average frequency of fish consumption
of 1.18 times a week5. While no group quite reaches the ’target’ level of eating
While 77 per cent of adults in our survey correctly identified the ‘five-a-day’
•
fish twice a week, some demographics are getting a lot closer than others.
target for fruit and vegetables, only 27 per cent correctly identified the
‘two-a-week’ target for fish.
Our survey suggests that:
Awareness of the ‘two-a-week’ target was significantly higher among
•
Men (1.26 times a week) eat fish more often than women (1.12 times a week).
•
women, at 32 per cent, than men at 22 per cent.
• T
he frequency of eating fish increases steadily across the age range,
Respondents aged 18 to 24 years showed the lowest correct awareness
•
with 18-24 year-olds (1.09 times a week) having the lowest frequency,
of the ‘two-a-week’ guideline, while those aged 55 to 64 have the highest
and 55-65s (1.33 times a week) having the highest.
awareness at 31 per cent.
• H
ousehold income also appears to be highly significant – with people living
in the lowest income households (less than £15,000 per year) eating fish
Victoria Taylor, Senior Dietician at the British Heart on average 0.99 times a week, and higher income households (£70,000 or
Foundation, said: higher) averaging 1.49 times a week.
“You’re making a nutritious choice if you include fish as a source Age differences in fish knowledge and familiarity
of protein in a balanced diet. Oily fish in particular can help us to
Large differences in the frequency of eating fish between younger and
keep our hearts in good shape.
older consumers go alongside large differences in familiarity and knowledge.
“When eaten regularly, the type of omega-3 fat that oily fish provide can help to The table below shows some of our key indicators of ‘familiarity with fish’
reduce the risk of heart disease and can also reduce your chances of dying of a – and how dramatically these vary by age.
heart attack. People should aim to eat one portion of oily fish a week; those who
have had a heart attack should aim for two to three portions each week. And if
you do opt for a fish supper it’s worth using healthy cooking methods too, like
baking, grilling or steaming instead of frying.”
“ Omega-3 fat that oily fish
provide can help to reduce
“
the risk of heart disease.
30 Our future with fish Our future with fish 31The graphic below shows how consumption of fish varies across UK regions.
Indicators of familiarity with fish, by age group
Frequency of fish consumption, by government office region
Age group Number of Percentage who Percentage who
alternative fish claim to know how say they often
tried from to fillet a fish under or Key to map
list of ten overcook fish6 4 or more per week
2 / 3 times a week
16-24 3.5 23 % 27 % 48% Once a week
Once every 2 weeks
Once a month
25-34 4.8 30 % 27 % Occasionally - but less than once a month
35-44 5.5 31 % 25 % 53%
18%
16%
11% 44%
45-54 6.3 44 % 19 % 7%
1%
55-65 6.7 55 % 14% 21% Scotland 22%
17%
11%
7% 5% 6% 7% 5%
3%
All aged 16-65 5.4 37 % 22 %
North West North East
46%
44%
As we can see, younger adults in the UK have experienced a significantly 19%
20% 22%
smaller range of fish than older adults, they are far less likely to know how to 15%
12%
10%
fillet a fish, and far more likely to report problems with cooking fish without 53% 5%
3%
3%
0%
undercooking or overcooking it. Northern Ireland
East Midlands
49%
Cohort analysis of NFS/EFS data shows that people have always become 20%
11%
more familiar with fish as they go through life. Our survey data shows us how 40%
5%
7%
4%
much progress today’s younger adults will have to make, if this process of West Midlands
21%
18%
‘growing into fish’ is to continue in the next generation. 21%
4% 4% 3%
15%
13%
9%
Eastern
Geographic differences in fish consumption and familiarity with fish 3%
Wales
There are also significant differences between people living in different parts
40%
of the UK; our survey research reveals both regional differences, and also 45%
some effect of the proximity to the sea, on some measures. 23%
16%
24%
7%
14% 12% 9% 5%
45%
2% 3% London
South West 23%
14%
9%
6%
3%
South East
32 Our future with fish Our future with fish 33As the graphic shows: As the table shows, geographic differences also exist in ‘familiarity’ with fish:
Londoners eat fish most often, averaging 1.34 times a week, while people
• People living in the East of England score ‘highest’ here, having the
•
in Northern Ireland eat fish least often, averaging just 1.01 times a week. broadest ‘repertoires’ of alternative fish, being most likely to know how
to fillet a fish, and least likely to experience problems with cooking fish.
Broadly speaking, the English eat fish more often than the Scots, Welsh
•
or Northern Irish, but there is no clear North-South divide in England. Conversely, Scotland and Wales accompany lower frequency of consumption
•
with relatively narrow repertoires, the lowest percentages claiming to know
We also found that people living in coastal towns and villages ate fish slightly how to fillet a fish, and relatively high levels of problems with cooking fish.
more often than others (1.26 times a week against 1.17 elsewhere), although Northern Ireland is something of an exceptional case here – although people
•
the difference is not perhaps as large as we might have expected, and in Northern Ireland eat the least fish and have the smallest repertoire, they
proximity to the sea only appears to make any difference on the coast itself – are the most knowledgeable and competent when it comes to filleting and
there is no evidence of a gradual decrease as one travels further inland. cooking fish. What fish the Northern Irish know, they know well it seems.
Perhaps surprisingly, we also see that people in coastal towns and villages
Indicators of familiarity with fish, by regions & distance from sea barely eat a broader range of ‘alternative’ fish than others, despite eating
fish more often, and tending to be more competent with filleting fish.
Age group No. of alternative % who claim to % who say they
fish tried from know how to fillet often under or
list of ten a fish overcook fish7
Scotland 5.2 31 % 21 % Language and understanding fish nutrition
Wales 5.2 29 % 23 %
Northern Ireland 4.9 41 % 16 % Compared with other sources of protein such as beef, chicken, lamb and pork,
North West 5.4 35 % 25 % fish has many different varieties and species. This presents the customer with
North East 5.4 36 % 19 %
choice but can also present confusion.
Yorkshire & Humber 5.1 37 % 20 %
Shoppers have to distinguish different fish names, often with regional variations.
East Midlands 5.6 38 % 25 %
Then there are the differences of white fish, oily fish and shellfish. Textures
West Midlands 5.7 42 % 22 % vary from the meaty, almost steak-like consistency of tuna to delicate, flaky
East of England 5.8 42 % 17 % fish such as plaice. With many different individual species on offer, people are
London 5.6 37 % 27 % often uncertain what alternative, sustainable fish they can replace for their
South East 5.2 34 % 21 % regular ‘big five’ choices.
South West 5.5 42 % 23 %
UK consumers have also been introduced to a growing range of nutritional
Lives in a coastal terms in recent decades, and our survey research shows widely varying levels
5.6 42 % 21 % of recognition and understanding. For example:
town or village
Not coastal but under Awareness of the health benefits of omega-3 fatty acids has reached a high
•
5.4 37 % 21 %
40 miles from sea level in a relatively short time. Some 94 per cent of survey respondents
Lives more than 40 said they had heard of them, and believed they were healthy.
5.5 37 % 23 %
miles from the sea
Understanding of ‘fatty acids’ is less clear. While most UK adults recognise
•
the term, more people believe fatty acids are an unhealthy rather than a
healthy choice.
34 Our future with fish Our future with fish 35Around 65 per cent of respondents recognised hydrogenated fats as
• Barriers to eating healthily and eating more fish
unhealthy, with 52 per cent knowing that polyunsaturated fats are a
healthier choice. This leaves between one in three to a half of all adults
uncertain of the positives and negatives of different types of fats. Barriers to eating fish
When going further into nutritional advice, consumers begin to struggle.
•
Only 19 per cent said they had heard of the long-chain fatty acids EPA 13.5% 10.1%
and DHA, while 57 per cent had simply not heard of them at all.
8.2%
Local shops have poor
22.2%
Kids and other family
fresh food / fish members tend to dislike
healthy meals / fish
Cost Hard to plan
Against this background, we asked our survey respondents if they thought ahead for meals
3.9%
that various health messages were true of all fish, true only of white fish or Worries about
allergies
‘oily’ fish, or not true of fish at all. Here, we found that:
Around 61 per cent correctly associated ‘being high in omega-3 fatty acids’
•
to oily fish only, while 23 per cent thought it was true of all fish.
Nearly half recognised fish as a relatively low-calorie food, and only two per
•
cent believed this was not true of any fish. But nearly a third of respondents
said they were not sure or had no idea about fish and calories.
A narrow majority, 51 per cent, correctly believe that all fish contain essential
• 8.7%
16.4% 12.6% 4.3%
Regular supermarket has
minerals like iron, calcium, zinc and selenium. However, 36 per cent were poor fresh food / fresh fish
not sure or had no idea. Lack of recipe(s)
knowledge / how to cook
Not enough time to prepare
from scratch
Temptation of sweets
or unhealthy foods
Again, a narrow majority, 53 per cent, correctly believe that all fish have
•
benefits for children’s growth and development, but around a third were
not sure or had no idea. And 12 per cent wrongly thought this was only Barriers to eating healthily
true of oily fish.
8.2% 5.6%
7.5% 9.4%
“
Kids and other family
22.8%
members tend to dislike Worries about
Local shops have poor Hard to plan
healthy meals / fish allergies
fresh food / fish ahead for meals
Cost
It is crucial for retailers to
combat the widespread
view that cost is a barrier
“
to healthy eating.
18.4%
8.9% 5.9%
Regular supermarket has
Temptation of sweets
or unhealthy foods
Lack of recipe(s)
knowledge / how to cook 13.1%
Not enough time to prepare
poor fresh food / fresh fish
from scratch
36 Our future with fish Our future with fish 37As we can see: Age differences in attitudes to meal planning are surprising. This may reflect
some of the problems younger adults face as, compared with other age groups,
Cost and the lure of sweets or unhealthy foods are the two top barriers to
•
they show a greater desire for a more structured approach to planning meals.
eating healthily in general. But cost, lack of cooking knowledge and lack
According to recent research from nVision and the Institute of Grocery
of access to quality produce stand out as key barriers to eating fish.
Distribution (2010):
Perhaps not surprisingly, lack of recipe and cooking knowledge is a much
•
39 per cent of today’s 15-34 year-olds shop with a meal plan in mind,
•
more common barrier for younger consumers.
compared with just 35 per cent of people aged 55 and over.
All these findings on nutritional knowledge and barriers to healthy eating 25 per cent of 16-35 year-olds would like to see their supermarket
•
speak to us of a population increasingly concerned by health, and increasingly provide weekly meal plans, compared with just 10 per cent of people
knowledgeable. Going back a generation, we suspect a much poorer understanding aged 65 and above.
of different types of fats, and especially which specific foods contain them.
61 per cent of 16-24 year-olds say they enjoy planning their leisure time,
•
compared with just 56 per cent of 45 to 54 year-olds.
While the ‘temptations’ of unhealthy foods may always be with us, it is crucial
for retailers to combat the widespread view that cost is a barrier to healthy
These findings suggest that younger UK adults may now actually be more
eating. Around two-thirds of UK adults hold this mistaken belief. More persuasive,
positive about meal planning, and weekly structuring of meals than their
informative action must highlight the ‘win-win-win’ potential of some types
older counterparts. Together, they add to the notion that ‘fish Fridays’ could
of fish. It’s affordable, healthy and convenient to prepare.
be a trend to watch - if recent trends continue, the proportion of fish meals
falling on a Friday would rise from one in five today (21 per cent), to one in
four (25 per cent) by 2022.
The return of fish on Friday?
One striking trend in the data is a seeming revival of the tradition of ‘fish on
Friday’, with Friday evening fish meals increasing by 4.4 per cent since 20088.
Perhaps, as our lives become increasingly unstructured, with flexible
working patterns, on-demand media and a ‘24/7’ society, there is a small but
potentially significant hankering for occasions that are ‘time markers’. These
events can help us relax, marking transitions from working time to leisure
time, and give our home life a renewed sense of structure.
The problems that our increasingly unstructured lives give rise to are certainly
clear, especially for younger adults: our survey research shows that one in
four adults say that difficulty in planning meals is a barrier to eating healthily,
and this rises to almost one in three (31 per cent) among 18-24 year-olds.
38 Our future with fish Our future with fish 39The emergence of new food ‘taboos’?
We also looked at food ‘taboos’ in our survey. We found that large proportions
of people now report feeling uncomfortable eating various kinds of ethically
‘questionable’ foods, and significant numbers say they would refuse to eat
certain foods ‘in all circumstances’:
56 per cent prefer not to eat ‘battery-farmed’ eggs, and 21 per cent say
•
they would refuse to eat them in all circumstances.
47 per cent prefer not to eat non-free-range chicken, and 13 per cent say
•
they would refuse to eat it in all circumstances.
60 per cent prefer not to eat pâté de foie gras, and 20 per cent say they
•
would refuse to eat it in all circumstances.
47 per cent prefer not to eat veal, and 29 per cent say they would refuse
•
to eat it in all circumstances.
By contrast, the proportion of people who say they prefer not to eat ‘cod
caught by drift net’ is 29 per cent, with seven per cent refusing to eat it in
all circumstances. This is similar to the proportions who prefer not to eat,
or would refuse to eat, bananas or chocolate that are not fairtrade. What this
data shows us is that while concerns about sustainable fishing methods and
fair trade are less prevalent at present than concerns about animal-welfare,
when it comes to food preferences they are already important for many people.
For around one in 18 UK adults they are part of the new ‘taboo’ foods.
This data also shows us the potential for concerns about food production to CHAPTER 4
change our attitudes to food. Within the space of just a generation, a majority
of UK adults have now come to be averse to battery-farmed eggs. We think
issues about fish production can come to have the same emotional resonance
among UK consumers in the longer term as awareness of the issues grows.
Fish consumption
and children
Family preferences are probably most important when
children are young. There is a window of opportunity
while weaning children to familiarise them with different
food flavours and textures, including those of fish.
40 Our future with fish Our future with fish 41And with young children and young people having more influence than ever Trends in family meals and barriers to giving children fish
over what a household eats, getting the fish habit early is crucial.
Recent declines in fish consumption among 11 to 16 year-olds gives cause for
The importance of schools concern. We know most people eat more fish as they get older, and analysis
Many children now reach school age without any experience of fresh fish, of NFS and EFS trend data suggests that this is still true today. But if children
or even processed fish products. So schools also have a role to play by both start from a lower consumption base or no base at all, there is a possible impact
explaining the importance of fish in the diet and creating opportunities for on the quantity of fish in our future diets and consequently the nation’s health.
pupils to give fish a try.
To better understand the drivers of this decline, we asked survey respondents
While only one in 50 people recognised ‘school dinner’ cooks as an influence with under-18 year-olds still at home about how their eldest child eats today9.
on how and why they eat fish, this rises to one in 25 among 16 to 24 year-olds. We also asked them to think back to when they were the same age, and tell
While this is still a small figure, it suggests potential opportunity for school us how they ate then10. This gives us a comparison between today’s children,
staff to influence children and young people about eating fish. and those of a generation ago.
Adopted standards for fish, including oily fish, in the school food trust guidelines
for school dinners is a welcome development. But few schools serve up whole Changes in children’s eating habits
fish, such as sardines. There is suggestion that schools can do more outside
the canteen too, such as day trips to fisheries or practical lessons in handling
Under 18’s a generation ago Under 18’s today
and cooking fish.
Gets to have snacks 22%
during the evening
48%
Trends in children’s and families’ fish consumption
Is usually happy to 42%
try new foods
National-scale surveys of children’s diets have been conducted on three 51%
separate occasions in recent decades. But differences in research method
Expects to have a
and lack of publicly available comparable trend data mean the long-term strong say in what 9%
picture on children’s fish consumption is unclear. the family eats 26%
Our own analysis of NFS and EFS trend data since 1979 suggests that, in the Is expected to eat 69%
whatever is served
long term, the growth in fish consumption between younger and family 46%
life-stage households is still happening, and may possibly intensify with each
successive generation. Tends to be 21%
a fussy eater
44%
However, published family food survey data suggests that recent declines in
Expresses concerns
fish consumption have hit families with one and two children. According to about impact of food on
7%
Kantar Worldpanel trend data, the proportion of 11 to 16 year-olds eating fish environment to parents 17%
at least once a fortnight has fallen from 73.1 per cent to 68.6 per cent since
2008. In the past generation it is this group for whom family meals have Most evenings eat the
same meal as parents
72%
changed most. 59%
Most evenings eat 19%
something different
from parents 35%
42 Our future with fish Our future with fish 43The graphic opposite shows how things have changed: Particular barriers to feeding children fish
Against this background, what barriers do parents experience when it comes
Where a generation ago more than 69 per cent of children were ‘expected
•
to giving children more fish to eat?
to eat what is served’, among today’s parents less than half say their child
is expected to do so.
Today’s children are more than twice as likely to have a strong say in
• Barriers to giving children fish
family meals, to get evening snacks, and to be described as ‘fussy eaters’.
Of those eating something different from their parents in the evening,
•
the percentage has changed from 19 per cent to 35 per cent between the
generations. However, the majority still say they usually eat the same meal.
While today’s children have a far greater say on what the family eats, so
•
too are they more open to trying new foods. Importantly for sustainable 19.5% 12.2% 13.4%
fish, modern children are also twice as likely to express concerns to their
parents about the impact of food on the environment.
24.4%
I worry about bones
I worry that it will
go to waste They will only eat
white fish (e.g. cod)
I don’t know any fish
recipes they would
find appealing
These results agree with other sources of trend data on family meals. Time-diary
studies show cooking time has halved during the past generation, down now
to an average of just 23 minutes a day.
Also there is a diversification and ‘flattening’ of the time patterns for eating
habits. Time-diary data for the 1960s shows sharp ‘spikes’ of eating around
12 to 1pm, and 6 to 7pm. But today people eat at far more varied times of day,
and are less likely to have set mealtimes.
While children’s eating times, especially those of younger children, are generally
more regular than those of adults, they are also experiencing an increasing
lack of routine to meals. 9.1%
It’s too much trouble
6.1% 15.2%
to prepare It’s up to them what
they eat - I don’t have They will only eat
much say processed fish
(e.g. fish fingers)
44 Our future with fish Our future with fish 45The graphic shows how: Conclusion
Parents’ worries about bones and the potential for wasted food tend to be
•
the biggest concerns, but significant numbers of parents report that their Our report has sought to identify the main issues about the future of fish
children will only eat processed fish, or only eat white fish. consumption in the UK.
Another concern that tends to be more prevalent among parents of young
• The good news is that, among most people, interest and awareness about
children is that fish is ‘too much trouble to prepare’. nutrition, food sustainability and provenance is growing.
But perhaps of most concern is the small but significant group of parents
•
who say that they simply ‘don’t have much say’ in what children eat. How greatly individuals embrace these issues depend on many factors.
Even among children as young as 7 to 11 years, around one in ten parents These include family behaviours, personal experience and motivators,
say that ‘it is up to them what they eat’. This can present a barrier to intergenerational differences and a long-term increase or decline in
serving fish at mealtimes unless children and young people are already household wealth. Sources of authority and influence, and greater access
accustomed to eating fish. to information technology and media, also play a part.
For retailers, the challenge is to encourage interest in more varieties of
alternative, sustainable fish and to supply information that will help shoppers
choose and cook fish with confidence. Often the issues are complex. This presents
a challenge: how to communicate with customers in a way that leaves them
“
feeling clear about the issues and the action they want to take. If they feel
overburdened with detail, the risk is an ‘ignore-and-do-nothing’ approach.
Perhaps of most concern As the report authors, we at Future Foundation believe the following to be
is the small but significant of greatest importance to the future of UK fish consumption.
group of parents who say
that they simply ‘don’t
have much say’ in what
“
children eat.
46 Our future with fish Our future with fish 47You can also read
