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Shoppers need a lesson in seafood terminologyShoppers need a lesson in seafood terminology
Unfamiliarity with industry terms is impacting sales
Richard Mitchell
January 31, 2025
4 Min Read
Many shoppers are unclear about the meaning of seafood descriptors. Richard Mitchell
The seafood sector has an education gap.
Many shoppers do not know the meanings of basic industry terms, and that is causing confusion and subsequently limiting sector activity, analysts said.
Just 29% of seafood consumers totally understand the meaning of “aquaculture,” while only 40% totally understand the definition of “indoor farm raised,” and 49% and 57%, respectively, totally understand “farm raised” and “wild caught,” reports Arlington, Va.-based FMI—The Food Industry Association.
Such ignorance is increasing the prospect that shoppers will bypass seafood entirely for the comfort of meat and other familiar and more understandable proteins, analysts said.
“Production-related terms are often misunderstood,” said Anne-Marie Roerink, president of 210 Analytics LLC, a San Antonio-based market research and marketing strategies firm. “Few consumers go through the effort of researching claims and instead run with their own interpretations.”
Retailers typically do not define industry jargon on-pack or in-store, she said, or communicate the advantages of purchasing seafood with specific claims or certifications, which can affect taste, impact on the planet, and animal welfare practices.
“‘Aquaculture’ and ‘farm-raised’ sound like they may have similar implications, yet the terms refer to different practices with varying environmental impacts,” Roerink said.
Shoppers can have trouble differentiating products and purchasing their ideal selections if they do not understand the meaning of claims, Roerink said. Wild-caught seafood, for instance, has a flavor that is distinct from farm-raised, she said. “Ultimately taste is what drives the purchase,” Roerink said.
Descriptions of the significance of logos from such organizations as the London-based Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) and Utrecht, the Netherlands-based Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) also are often lacking. “Consumers may encounter a variety of standards when shopping at multiple stores and that adds to the confusion,” Roerink said.
The MSC blue label signifies that seafood came from a responsible fishery in a sustainable manner, while the ASC green label certifies that a product was farmed responsibly, the organizations report.
Instruct the instructors
“Consumers are sometimes unfamiliar with seafood terms because they often hear them in a scientific context,” said Kayla Bennett, media and communications manager for the McLean, Va.-based National Fisheries Institute. “Introducing and familiarizing them with descriptors can be as easy as educating retail staff and ensuring the associates are comfortable using the descriptors correctly when describing products to shoppers.”
That is important as knowledgeable consumers will feel more secure in their purchases, and that will drive greater sales, she said.
Retailers will reap some of the largest benefits by educating younger shoppers about industry terms, Roerink said, adding that such customers typically prefer more product information and “seek out items that are better for the planet, animal, worker, or themselves.”
Older shoppers often just focus on freshness, variety, and price,” she said. “Seafood has an inherent health halo and that is typically all boomers need to know,” Roerink said.
While some consumers without knowing the meaning of claims will assume that their grocers have superior sourcing standards, others see advantages in doing their “homework” and learning about attributes, she said.
An array of information sources
Natural and organic retailers are more likely to explain the meaning of claims and standards to shoppers, Roerink said, noting that the outlets are “often great” in placing signage on unused wall space or using QR codes that take shoppers to the grocers’ websites where they can receive more detailed data.
While she agreed that having astute seafood department associates who can educate shoppers on production methods and terminology will also boost interest, Roerink said labor turnover makes it difficult to ensure all workers are knowledgeable.
“Merchandisers should prioritize staff education, as they can empower consumers by confidently relaying facts and opening up the gateway to healthier, sustainable eating,” Bennett said. “Seafood has a unique story that is unlike other animal proteins and sometimes it takes more than five seconds to tell.”
Training the entire value chain on product terminology is vital too as that will result in a trickle-down effect on consumers, she said. “Producers, processors, and distributors also should strive to make seafood education a top priority,” Bennett said.
Merchandisers will further profit by adding claim and certification information to promotional signage or weekly ads, Roerink said, as such methods will educate shoppers who primarily focus on product prices.
“Product transparency that allows people to form an educated opinion is what matters, regardless of whether the retailer presents the information online, on-pack, in the case, on the wall, or through a conversation with an associate,” she said.Without such data, seafood department activity will largely depend on the faith shoppers have with a retailer or brand, Roerink said. “Transparency is the currency of trust in seafood,” she said.
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