A recent study by the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) into recognition of and positive associations with its consumer logo has shown that the organization, founded in 2010 by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and the Dutch Sustainable Trade Initiative (IDH), is on track with its campaign to encourage the public to eat more certified responsibly farmed seafood.
The ASC labeling program promotes sound environmental and social performance in aquaculture. Its distinctive logo on fish counters and on packs of ASC-certified farmed seafood helps consumers to make informed purchasing decisions, based on reassurance about ethical and responsible methods of production.
Research was carried out by independent marketing and consumer data specialist GFK in the Netherlands, Germany and Switzerland, where retailers have embraced the logo for responsibly farmed seafood, and where a total of 1,174 ASC-certified products are on now sale. Dutch retailers currently carry 425 products, while stores in Germany stock 415 items, and Swiss retailers offer 334. Globally, there are currently 3,231 ASC-certified products on the market.
In both the Netherlands and Germany, the level of recognition by fish buying consumers of the ASC logo showed steady growth in 2015, exceeding that of the previous year’s study. The research was carried out for the first time in Switzerland, where almost a third of the sample recognized the logo.
Respondents were also asked if they had positive associations with the ASC logo, and in all three countries the answer was highly encouraging. In the Netherlands, 43.6% of fish buyers replied positively, with German consumers just behind at 39.3%. In Switzerland almost half (47.1%) of the sample recognizing the logo had a positive reaction to it.
“As a young organization, we are very pleased with these results, as our logo has been on packs for less than three years,” said Chris Ninnes, the ASC’s chief executive officer. “We are working hard to play our part in helping transform the world’s seafood markets. Aquaculture already accounts for more than half of all seafood consumed around the globe, and it will increasingly become more important over the next few decades. Our mission is to ensure that it is produced in a responsible manner, and to help consumers purchase seafood that fits this criteria.”
