Consumer Attitudes towards Fish and Seafood in Portugal: Opportunities for Footprint Reduction

Adeline Murthy, Alessandro Galli (), Catarina Madeira and Sara Moreno Pires
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Adeline Murthy: Global Footprint Network, 1528 Webster Street, Suite 11, Oakland, CA 94612, USA
Alessandro Galli: Global Footprint Network, Avenue Louis-Casaï, 18, 1209 Geneva, Switzerland
Catarina Madeira: GOVCOPP (Research Unit on Governance, Competitiveness and Public Policies), Department of Social, Political and Territorial Sciences, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
Sara Moreno Pires: GOVCOPP (Research Unit on Governance, Competitiveness and Public Policies), Department of Social, Political and Territorial Sciences, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 2, 1-18

Abstract: Fish and seafood are central to the Portuguese diet, comprising a significant portion of Portugal’s Ecological Footprint. Diversifying dietary preferences is important because it has the potential to reduce pressure on marine ecosystems. We explored this opportunity by coupling (1) an Ecological Footprint assessment of Portugal to quantify the environmental impacts of Portugal’s food consumption choices (particularly fish and seafood), with (2) a consumer survey to assess attitudes towards fish and seafood of Portuguese residents and their willingness to modify their preferences, thus shedding light on the potential for sustainable dietary choices in Portugal and the best strategies by which to achieve them. Ecological Footprint results confirm that Portugal is unique in the Mediterranean region in that its food Footprint is driven by fish and seafood consumption, while, for most other countries, the main driver is meat. Results from the consumer survey show that Portuguese fish and seafood preferences are characterized by a high frequency of consumption and a preference for high trophic level species. Age was the primary demographic factor influencing consumption habits in Portugal. Moreover, Portuguese consumers lack knowledge on sustainable fishing practices. Actions and strategies to increase sustainable dietary choices in Portugal will need to consider these factors. We recommend targeted outreach messaging for different age groups, more and better information on sustainable options, together with efforts to protect marine biodiversity. Future research needs to better understand the whole value chain and all relevant stakeholders of the fish and seafood sector for more effective incentives for Footprint reduction.

Keywords: fish and seafood consumption; dietary habits; consumer preferences; Ecological Footprint; sustainable consumption (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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