Consumer Attitude and Awareness Study

Prepared by: AMR Marketing ResearchNovember 2014

Research to gauge consumer attitudes towards ecolabels, sustainable seafood, and MSC certification by those buying seafood.

Global Results

Contents

Methodology

Highlights

Awareness and recall of MSC ecolabel

Trust in ecolabels

Importance of ocean sustainability

Methodology

Online interviews of approximately 25 minutes duration were administered between 19th March – 25th July

Respondents were:- mainly or jointly

responsible for buying the food for themselves/their family

- have bought a fish product at least once every two months from their main store

Respondents identified main store where ‘majority of grocery shopping done’ - at least 100 respondents per store

Sample

A total of 9,019 interviews completed in the UK, Germany, Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, France,

Canada, USA, Australia, Japan, Poland, Switzerland, Singapore, Spain & Finland

The results at country level are nationally projectable to the adult population of regular buyers of seafood in the major

retailers (statistically valid at 95% confidence level +/- 4%).

The survey is carried out every two years, with the previousstudy in 2012

Highlights (seafood sustainability)

Highlights (ecolabels)

25% recognition figure in 2010 relates to 8 countries interviewed: UK, Germany, France, Canada, US, Japan, Netherlands, Sweden.

Highlights (purchasing decisions)

8

1. Have you seen this logo before?2. What does it mean to you?

‘Prompting and Influence’ minimised by:• Asking these questions before any others in the survey• Removing the text that identifies the ecolabel• Describing it as a logo rather than ecolabel• No clues given to respondents during recruiting of what the survey is testing• Have to describe it in their own words – no multiple choice/prompt given

AWARENESS AND RECALL OF THE MSC ECOLABEL

9

2010* 2012** 2014

Awareness

Recall

5%

• Across the 15 surveyed countries in 2014, a third were aware of the debranded MSC ecolabel. The ratio of recall to awareness is at the same level as 2012.

*The 2010 survey was carried out in 6 countries: UK, Germany, France, US, Canada and Japan.

Base 2010/2012/2014 = 3516/5977/9019 (all countries combined)

Awareness measures consumers' knowledge of a brand's existence. It refers to the proportion of target audience which has prior knowledge of the brand.

Recall is the customers' ability to retrieve specific information from memory to understand what the consumer knows about the brand.

Q1 Have you seen this logo before? Q2. What does it mean to you?

Awareness and recall of the debranded MSC ecolabel

23%30%

33%

9% 10%

**The 2012 survey was carried out in 10 countries: UK, Germany, France, US, Canada, Japan, Sweden, Netherlands, Australia and Denmark

10

• Attitudes towards ecolabels are generally positive, with similar levels of positivity to those seen in 2012

5%

6%

5%

5%

8%

8%

5%

6%

5%

5%

6%

6%

4%

5%

5%

4%

4%

5%

11%

11%

11%

11%

12%

13%

10%

9%

9%

9%

9%

9%

8%

8%

9%

7%

7%

7%

42%

42%

45%

37%

37%

39%

37%

37%

41%

38%

38%

38%

34%

33%

33%

32%

30%

36%

33%

31%

30%

34%

32%

30%

37%

36%

34%

36%

34%

35%

40%

40%

41%

42%

42%

40%

9%

9%

9%

12%

13%

10%

12%

13%

11%

12%

13%

11%

13%

14%

13%

15%

17%

13%

Disagree strongly Disagree slightly Neither agree nor disagree Agree slightly Agree strongly

An ecolabel can be trusted because it is independent

I trust a brand that uses ecolabels more

than one that doesn’t

Ecolabels let me use my shopping money to reward companies that

have demonstrated they meet a high environmental/social standard

I trust ecolabels because they set high standards

A product that carries an ecolabel has less impact on

the environment

Ecolabels are effective in helping bringing changes to

environmental/social problems

Jul ‘10

Apl ‘12

Jul ‘10

Apl ‘12

Jul ‘10

Apl ‘12

Jul ‘10

Apl ‘12

Jul ‘10

Apl ‘12

Jul ‘10

Apl ‘12

Q7 Opinions on the role of ecolabels

Base 2010/2012/2014 = 3516/5977/9019 (all countries combined)

Do consumers trust ecolabels and the brands that use them?

Jul ‘14

Jul ‘14

Jul ‘14

Jul ‘14

Jul ‘14

Jul ‘14

11

• Steady increases from 2010 in willingness to pay more for ecolabelled products• Proportion of those who are unlikely to check products for ecolabels is falling from 2010

27% 27% 24%12% 12% 12% 9% 10% 9% 8% 7% 7% 7% 8% 9% 7% 8% 9%

35% 33% 34%

30%28% 29%

28% 28% 27%24% 23% 24% 21% 23% 23% 25%

29% 31%

24% 25% 27%

30%32% 33%

31% 32% 35% 43% 41% 43%

27%28% 31% 29%

30%30%

9% 10% 10%18% 19% 18%

17%16% 16%

16% 17% 16%

26%23% 23% 23%

19%19%

5% 6% 5% 7% 9% 8%16% 13% 13% 10% 11% 9%

20% 17% 15% 16% 14% 11%

Agree strongly Agree slightly Neither agree nor disagree Disagree slightly Disagree strongly

Jul ‘10 Apl ‘12 Jul ‘10 Apl ‘12 Jul ‘10 Apl ‘12 Jul ‘10 Apl ‘12 Jul ‘10 Apl ‘12 Jul ‘10 Apl ‘12

Wouldn’t swap what usually

buy for different brand just because it has an ecolabel

– sticking to what I/family

know/like more important

Family wouldn’t notice if I

didn’t buy any ecolabelled

products

I’m buying more products with

ecolabels these days than I did a

year ago

I would like to buy more

products with ecolabels but

my supermarket doesn’t stock

them

I would be ready to pay a

little more for a product with an

ecolabel

These days I regularly pick up

products to check for

ecolabels before I buy them

Q6 Effect of ecolabels on general shopping behaviour

Base 2010/2012 = 3516/5977/9019 (all countries combined)

Do ecolabels have an impact on hard-to-break buying habits?

Jul ‘14 Jul ‘14 Jul ‘14 Jul ‘14 Jul ‘14 Jul ‘14

12

• ‘Friends/family recommendations’ followed by ‘ecolabels’ are the most trusted sources on socially/environmentally responsible goods – the former is an indication of how much more these issues are in everyday conversation.

6%

5%

5%

4%

3%

4%

3%

7%

3%

2%

17%

14%

12%

13%

8%

11%

7%

11%

7%

5%

40%

40%

41%

40%

45%

40%

36%

32%

33%

33%

33%

35%

37%

37%

37%

38%

43%

40%

45%

47%

5%

5%

5%

6%

7%

7%

10%

11%

12%

12%

Distrust a lot Distrust a little Neither Trust somewhat Trust completely

Base = 9109 (2014)

Specialist magazines

Friends/Family recommendations

Scale:

Ecolabels on products

Brand’s own promise on products

Supermarkets/Grocery stores

Internet environmental blogs/sites

Newspapers

Television programmes

Work colleague recommendations

Government advice

Q10 Extent to which trust sources on socially/environmentally responsible goods

Where do ecolabels rank as a trusted source of information?

13

• 9 in 10 think that ocean sustainability is important

Base 2014 = 9019 (all answering)

Is ocean sustainability important?Q10a Degree ocean sustainability thought to be important.

1%

1%

9%

38%

51%

Not at allimportant

Not veryimportant

Neither importantnor important

Quite important

Extremelyimportant

14

• ‘Falling fish stocks’ and seafood sustainability remain a very high concern for seafood buyers

33%

30%

32%

25%

34%

27%

33%

34%

37%

4%

4%

5%

5%

5%

5%

28%

30%

30%

31%

33%

31%

21%

20%

19%

9%

10%

11%

9%

10%

9%

24%

24%

30%

27%

26%

25%

30%

30%

29%

34%

32%

31%

32%

32%

30%

11%

12%

9%

14%

34%

13%

12%

11%

10%

33%

34%

33%

36%

35%

36%

4%

4%

4%

4%

4%

4%

5%

5%

5%

20%

20%

21%

19%

19%

20%

Disagree strongly Disagree slightly Neither agree nor disagree Agree slightly Agree strongly

Jul ‘10

Apl ‘12

Jul ‘10

Apl ‘12

Jul ‘10

Apl ‘12

Jul ‘10

Apl ‘12

Jul ‘14

A few scaremongers talk about falling fish stocks but it is not an

important issue

There are enough fish in the sea to meet global demand

Don't know. I have not heard any concerns about fish stocks

Falling fish stocks is a very important issue and I am more concerned

about it than I was a year ago

The total number of fish in the sea is at a critically low level now and will

run out unless we do something

Jul ‘10

Apl ‘12

Base 2010/2012/2014 = 3516/5977/9019 (all countries combined)

Q11 Opinions on ‘falling fish stocks’

Is seafood sustainability a concern?

Jul ‘14

Jul ‘14

Jul ‘14

Jul ‘14

15

Agree slightlyDisagree strongly Disagree slightly Neither agree nor disagree Agree stronglyScale:

I only buy sustainable fish products regardless of price, quality or if I have to go to another shop to find them

I had heard about sustainably caught fish but it doesn't affect what I buy

I had never heard of sustainably caught fish so it doesn't affect what I buy at the moment

I am willing to pay for sustainable fish products but if the quality looks lower, I will buy the higher-quality, non-sustainable choice

I prefer to buy fish products which are sustainable but not if it costs more

I usually avoid certain species that I think are endangered

I would buy more fish if I knew that it had come from a sustainable source

It is very important that supermarkets and restaurants make sure they are selling sustainably caught seafood

Buying sustainably caught fish will help ensure that fish stocks are available to future generations

16%

15%

25%

7%

5%

6%

5%

3%

3%

26%

25%

27%

14%

13%

16%

10%

5%

5%

37%

34%

28%

38%

37%

37%

41%

27%

32%

16%

22%

15%

33%

35%

29%

29%

32%

39%

5%

5%

5%

8%

11%

12%

14%

29%

22%

• More than 3 in 5 consumers think it is very important that supermarkets and restaurants sell sustainably caught seafood

• More than 2 in 5 say they avoid endangered species and would buy more fish if they knew it was from a sustainable source

Base = 9019 (2014)

Q12 Agreement/disagreement with statements on purchasing sustainably caught fish

Does seafood sustainability influence buying decisions?

16

5%

6%

5%

7%

6%

8%

5%

6%

7%

9%

27%

30%

6%

7%

5%

5%

3%

5%

3%

3%

24%

25%

8%

8%

9%

8%

5%

5%

6%

5%

25%

23%

31%

29%

26%

25%

27%

26%

21%

19%

11%

9%

28%

25%

30%

27%

32%

29%

26%

22%

8%

7%

23%

24%

24%

26%

29%

29%

38%

42%

Base 5977/9019 (all answering)

Agree slightlyDisagree strongly Disagree slightly Neither agree nor disagree Agree stronglyScale:

When I eat out, I would like to have the option to order ecolabelled

seafood products

• While there is little support for or engagement with consumers eating out, around half would like to have the option to order ecolabelled seafood products when dining

When I eat out, I have never seen seafood ecolabels on the menu

When I eat out, I do not look specifically for ecolabelled seafood

products on the menu

When I eat out, I specifically ask whether the seafood on the menu comes from a sustainable source

It is important that restaurants show they have sustainable seafood

options

Not applicable

Does seafood sustainability influence habits when eating out?Q13 Opinions on Seafood Ecolabels and Eating Out

April ‘12

April ‘14

April ‘12

April ‘14

April ‘12

April ‘14

April ‘12

April ‘14

April ‘12

April ‘14

17

3%

5%

3%

4%

4%

4%

2%

3%

7%

6%

7%

6%

8%

6%

4%

4%

3%

3%

4%

5%

4%

2%

3%

4%

32%

36%

31%

31%

31%

27%

26%

25%

22%

22%

25%

21%

24%

23%

20%

19%

40%

33%

41%

36%

39%

37%

44%

38%

45%

41%

45%

39%

45%

38%

45%

39%

17%

20%

18%

22%

19%

26%

23%

31%

27%

31%

24%

33%

26%

35%

30%

36%

Having access to all the information online

• That ‘the fishery is checked on a regular basis’ remains the most important piece of information in trusting seafood sustainability claims

Scientific evidence that there are enough fish being left in the ocean

Evidence that the surrounding environment is not being harmed

The fishery is checked on a regular basis

The name and location of the fishery

Knowing which fishing method was used (e.g. nets, trawl, long line,

pole and line etc.)

The fishery was assessed by independent experts

Assurance the product can be traced back (through every step of the chain) to a sustainable fishery

Level of Importance of Information in Trusting Seafood Sustainability ClaimsQ15a Level of Importance of Information in Trusting Seafood Sustainability Claims

April ‘12

April ‘14

April ‘12

April ‘14

April ‘12

April ‘14

April ‘12

April ‘14

April ‘12

April ‘14

April ‘12

April ‘14

April ‘12

April ‘14

April ‘12

April ‘14

Base 5977/9019 (all answering)

Quite importantNot at all important Not very important Neither important nor unimportant Extremely importantScale: