Annette Kenny, Food & Beverage Division, Bord Bia – Irish Food Board

Per Capital Consumption

According to the EU Consumer Habits report (2017) the average seafood per capita consumption is approx. 25.8kg, highlighting robust seafood consumption in Europe. Average seafood consumption remains stagnant with the exception of Greece and Croatia. Greece saw a 4.5% decrease which can be linked to economic factors and the financial crisis. On the other hand, Croatia experienced a 9.2% increase, linked to economic development. Two very important markets for Irish seafood exports- the UK and Germany experienced opposite variations; The UK declined by 0.8% and Germany rose by 1.1%.

Consumer Habits

In regard to European consumer habits, a positive correlation exists between consumption frequency and age. Consumers over the age of 44 group have high frequency and a lower percentage of non-consumers, whereas, the young demographic age group (15-24 years) has the highest percentage of non-consumers. Also, a positive correlation exists between consumption frequency and social position. The upper class demographic (managers, self-employed) has a higher consumption than those from the lower class demographic (students, unemployed, manual workers).

The report also found that a strong link exists between buyer frequency and consumer’s purchasing preferences for seafood products. Non regular purchasers buy a higher percentage (30% more than regular purchasers) of processed fish such as smoked and breaded products. On the contrary, regular purchasers buy a higher percentage of tinned, frozen and fresh products.

Irish Seafood Exports to Europe

European markets, specifically France, Spain, Italy and Germany, continue to dominate Irish seafood exports and showed strong signs of recovery in 2016, accounting for an estimated 65% of total export values, worth approx. €365million. Although, Irish seafood products are already established in the European market, one of Bord Bia’s strategy is to improve the value position of Irish seafood products within the European market and as a result, position Ireland as a supplier of a high premium quality, sustainably sourced seafood. This coincides with the research found with higher consumption patterns among upper class Europeans.

Read the full report here