How important is provenance for Scottish salmon?
Diners place fish sixth on list of 10 foods they were asked if they would pay more for because of Scotland origin
Salmon has been ranked sixth in a league table of 10 foods that consumers would pay a premium for if it had Scottish provenance, according to a survey that also revealed that almost two thirds of consumers are more likely to buy food labelled as “Scottish” when dining out.
A thousand “out-of-house” diners were surveyed for the market research: 500 from Scotland; 200 in London; 200 from Birmingham, Cardiff, Leeds or Manchester; and 100 British tourists in Scotland.
Research was conducted by The Knowledge Bank (TKB), part of trade organisation Scotland Food & Drink.
More likely to buy
TKB found that 64% of people surveyed were more likely to buy products labelled as Scottish, and 42% of diners were willing to pay a premium for Scottish produce. The products that diners were prepared to pay extra for varied by individual, but Scotch lamb (74%) and beef (71%) topped the charts.
The top categories varied by groups of consumers surveyed with, for example, Scots particularly open to paying a premium on white fish such as haddock.
In answer to the question “Which of these items are you more likely to pay a premium for if they are grown, reared, or produced in Scotland”, the responses (most popular first) from the 1,000 people surveyed were:
| 1. Lamb |
| 2. Beef |
| 3. White fish (e.g. cod, haddock) |
| 4. Shellfish (e.g. mussels, crab) |
| 5. Scotch whisky |
| 6. Salmon |
| 7. Game (e.g. venison) |
| 8. Pork |
| 9. Smoked fish (e.g. smoked salmon) |
| 10.Chicken / other poultry |
More details will be shared in a TKB webinar for the Scottish food and drink industry on Thursday.
Anne-Laure Farrar, UK market insight manager at TKB, said: “Provenance of Scottish products, such as whisky or salmon, has always played a huge part in our nation’s food and drink story. But it’s wonderful to see this evolve and develop to a point where the diverse range of Scottish products available in our nation’s restaurants and cafes is garnering more and more attention from diners.
“While countries like Italy, Spain and France have long had people raving about the history and heritage associated with their food and drink, Scotland’s recognition has been limited to a few specific categories. But the country is, quite rightly, shedding this outdated reputation as a culinarily limited destination.
“I truly believe we have one of the best natural larders in the world and it’s wonderful to see innovative and determined Scottish businesses working hard to reinvent our national brand in the eyes of consumers.”
Fiona Richmond, head of regional food for Scotland Food & Drink, said: “Scotland has a remarkable opportunity to capitalise on its rich provenance and food and drink story. Across retail and foodservice, to trade and consumers, there’s still much to do to tell that story, and in a consistent, accessible and impactful way.”
