Best Aquaculture Practices hails growing level of recognition for certification in China
30% of people surveyed said they have seen BAP logo before
Almost a third of Chinese consumers who took part in a survey recognised the organisation’s Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) label, and almost all respondents agreed that seafood is a healthier option than other animal proteins.
The survey of 3,403 consumers was commissioned by the Global Aquaculture Alliance to better understand consumer purchasing decisions and the influence and awareness of its BAP certification.
About two-thirds of respondents were born in 1990 or later, which puts them in an age range that seafood producers want to reach, and more than one-third of respondents currently eat seafood at least twice a week, GSA said a press release.
Would pay a little extra
When asked where they purchase seafood most often, respondents said that they are going back to supermarkets and traditional markets now that Covid restrictions have been lifted in China, whereas the number of respondents getting takeaway meals has decreased.
When respondents were asked which issues are the most concerning during the production process, food safety ranked first, followed by environmental sustainability.
Asked if they are willing to pay more for seafood from producers that were audited by a third-party, about 71% of respondents said they care enough to pay at least 1 Chinese yuan (about £0.11) more to purchase a product with added assurances. GSA said this shows that having the BAP label on seafood packaging can provide an advantage for producers in the marketplace.
Full value chain
When asked if they recognised the BAP label, about 30% of respondents said that they have seen the logo before, and more than half said they are more likely to purchase seafood if the packaging has the BAP label on it.
In addition, when asked which parts of the production chain should be audited, about half of respondents answered that the entire aquaculture production chain (processing plant, farm, hatchery, and feed mill) should undergo an audit.
“We’ve been working hard to promote the BAP logo in the Chinese market because we know consumers there are looking for assurances of responsible seafood,” said Steve Hart, GSA’s vice president of market development. “To see our logo recognition at almost 30% speaks to just how important these issues are to Chinese consumers.”
Salmon farmers with BAP certification include Bakkafrost Scotland, Wester Ross Fisheries, Norwegian producer Kvarøy Fiskeoppdrett, Cermaq in Canada and Chile, Cooke in the US and Chile, and Chile’s biggest salmon farmer, AquaChile.
