Transparency in Sustainable Seafood

           In today’s market, consumers are becoming increasingly concerned with a transparency in the items they buy. Shoppers are interested in where the fresh food they’re buying comes from; whether it is in local produce, fresh cut beef cut on site, or the origins of fresh seafood.

            Just as shoppers are drawn to stores who cut their beef on site, people are more likely to buy fish when they know where it comes from. In an article written by Dan Orlando for Supermarket News entitled, “Transparency May Lead to Competitive Pricing for Sustainable Seafood”, Orlando sites Judy Seybold a registered Dietitian who gives her thoughts on the importance of transparency in seafood departments. She says, “With access to information at their fingertips, consumers are now wanting to know not only where their fish came from and how it was caught but also how it was treated and how the people on the boat were treated. Traceability makes good business sense”; however, the article continues to state that this information may come at an added cost for consumers. Certifications may be beneficial in enticing shoppers, but their cost could force some retailers to raise prices.

            Orlando also sites Ken Plasse, CEO of Oregon’s Fishpeople, a seafood meal kit company, who reiterates, “We are seeing a huge trend in American consumers caring more about where they get their food across the board – they want to know the people, places and conditions that went into bringing their food to their plates”. This increase in providing consumers with information is surely going to affect major supermarket chains in the ways they provide their seafood products.