CONSUMER PERCEPTION OF FARMED FISH IN CROATIA Ekaterina Tribilustova Eurofish International Organisation Fourth International Carp Conference - September, Zagreb
FISH CONSUMPTION IN CROATIA Consumer survey in cooperation with Eurofish and the Ministry of Agriculture of Croatia Analysis of: Habits and preferences regarding consumption and purchase of fish and fisheries products in Croatia Reasons behind consumption of fisheries products Potential motivators for greater consumption of fisheries Source: Milinkuvar.com Attitudes towards different types of fish, and declarations on fishery products
REGIONAL OVERVIEW Region Slavonia Central Northern Zagreb Istria with Primorje and hinterland County Vukovar- Srijem Virovitica- Podravina Požega- Slavonija Osijek- Baranja Brod- posavina Bjelovar- Bilogora Karlovac Sisak- Moslavina Koprivnik- Križevci Krapina- Zagorje Međimurje Varaždin City of Zagreb Zagreb Istria Lika- Senj Primorje- Gorski kotar Dubrovnik- Neretva County Split- Dalmacija Šibenik- Knin Zadar Zagreb
How do Croatians eat fish and seafood?
REASONS FOR CONSUMING FISHERY PRODUCTS Total Slavonia Central Northern Zagreb Istria & Primorje good taste healthy 58 5 5 8 5 5 9 5 9 Croatian citizens mostly consume fish due to its good taste (58) and health benefits () habit 8 8 5 tradition or religion available 5 5 9 8 8 9 Main reasons for consumption are similar across different regions easy to prepare good quality of offer 5 Tradition and religion are less important for fish consumption in Istria other 5
COMMONLY CONSUMED FISH SPECIES Total Slavonia Central Northern Zagreb Istria & Primorje hake sardine common carp tuna gilt-head bream bass brown trout wels catfish mackerel sprat red scorpionfish anchovy pike zander striped red mullet codfish salmon other 8 8 9 9 8 8 5 58 5 5 8 8 8 5 5 5 9 9 5 5 5 9 55 9 9 8 9 9 59 5 9 Most commonly consumed fishes in Croatia are hake () sardine/ pilchard (8), and carp (), followed by tuna (8) and bream () In Slavonia and Central Croatia people most frequently choose carp, in Northern Croatia and Zagreb hake, and in Adriatic regions sardine Gilt- head bream is more commonly eaten in Zagreb and in Adriatic regions
TYPES OF FISH MOST FREQUENTLY CONSUMED Croatians most frequently consume fresh fishery products (); one fifth prefers frozen products (), and only a small percentage most typically consumes canned products () 9 8 8 8 8 8 5 Citizens in and Istria show greater preference for fresh (88; 9) over other types of products 5 58 55 88 9 canned frozen fresh Around one third of citizens in Central () and Northern Croatia (5) most frequently consume frozen fish, more than in other parts Total Slavonia Central Northern Zagreb Istria & Primorje
EATING FISHERIES PRODUCTS AT HOME of citizens eat fisheries products at home once or several times per week On average, fish is eaten at home once a week In Adriatic region fishery products are consumed more often, and more than 8 eat them weekly 9 8 5 8 5 9 9 8 5 Total Slavonia Central Northern Zagreb Istria & Primorje 5 5 9 5 several times per year once per month to times per month once per week - times per week everyday Source: Forking Croatia
EATING FISHERIES PRODUCTS OUT OF HOME Fisheries products are less frequently consumed out of home The majority of consumers (5) eats them several times per year The highest frequency is in Zagreb, while the lowest is in Slavonia 9 several times per year 8 5 5 8 8 once per month to times per month once per week 5 9 9 5 9 5 Total Slavonia Central Northern Zagreb Istria & Primorje - times per week everyday Source: www.infofazana.hr
CONSUMPTION OF FISHERY PRODUCTS BY CHILDREN IN HOUSEHOLDS Most of children eat fishery products: in households with children, 9 partially In Slavonia, smaller percentage of children in households consume fisheries: 5 yes and partially 9 8 9 8 5 some yes, some do not 5 5 8 8 5 8 no yes Total Slavonia Central Northern Zagreb Istria & Primorje
PLACES FOR PURCHASE OF FISHERIES PRODUCTS 5 of consumers buy fishery products at fish markets and over half in shopping centres In Istria and only a third buys fish in shopping centres, while they are common for around / of people in other regions Total Slavonia Central Northern Zagreb Istria & Primorje fish market 5 9 8 8 shopping center 5 5 8 5 local shop 5 5 directly from the fisherman personally fishing 5 8 5 other Source: www.trover.com
PREFERENCE OF FISH BASED ON ITS ORIGIN High majority (8) prefers Croatian fishery products - 55 from Croatia in general, and 9 from their own region within Croatia Adriatic regions show bigger preference for regional products, and Zagreb for Croatian fisheries 9 8 5 5 8 5 9 9 8 9 9 55 5 5 5 5 5 DK/ NA other than EU EU region/ county Croatia Total Slavonia Central Northern Zagreb Istria & Primorje
REASONS FOR PREFERENCE OF LOCAL/IMPORTED PRODUCTS better quality & taste Total region/ local Croatia outside of Croatia National and regional fisheries products from region are chosen due to its high quality and good taste more accessible & available to support local fishermen habit/ former experience better price 9 5 5 5 8 Accessibility () and consumption habit () are also important for local fish, and support of fishermen for fish from Croatia in general (5) better offer better value for money other Imported fish is purchased due to availability (5) and better price (8)
What kind of fish do Croatians prefer? Source: Jamnica.hr
WILD VERSUS FARMED FISH Wild fish () is preferred over farmed (), while quarter shows no preference Wild fish is more preferred in Adriatic regions In Slavonia, and Central and Northern Croatia, farmed fish is more liked than in other regions 9 8 5 5 8 5 5 5 5 8 8 no preference farmed wild Total Slavonia Central Northern Zagreb Istria & Primorje
SALTWATER VERSUS FRESHWATER FISH Saltwater fish () is preferred over freshwater (), while 9 does not show any preference Saltwater fish is especially favoured in Adriatic regions Freshwater fish is preferred in Slavonia and Central Croatia 9 8 5 9 8 5 5 9 8 8 no preference freshwater saltwater Total Slavonia Central Northern Zagreb Istria & Primorje
SOURCES FOR OBTAINING INFORMATION ABOUT FISHERIES PRODUCTS experience and habits TV Internet friends, family newspaper/ magazines radio not informed doctor fisherman/ retailer Total Slavonia Central Northern Zagreb Istria & Primorje 5 9 8 5 9 5 5 5 8 5 9 5 8 5 5 5 9 9 5 Citizens know about benefits of fisheries from their own experience () or from TV (5) and Internet () Own experience and habits are particularly relevant in Adriatic regions, as well as information from family and friends other
INTEREST IN TRYING NEW PRODUCTS Half of Croatian respondents is willing to try new fisheries products. More frequent consumption in general would be motivated by lower prices (5) and greater availability of different products (). 9 9 9 8 5 5 5 8 DK/ NA 5 no 5 5 9 58 5 5 yes Total Slavonia Central Northern Zagreb Istria & Primorje
What is their opinion about farmed fish?
ATTITUDE TO FARMED FISH 9 8 5 5 8 Farmed fish is more fatty 8 9 Lower quality Farmed fish is too expensive Do not know much about farmed fish 5 5 5 Non-natural shape, color and taste strongly disagree () strongly agree (5) Majority of Croatian citizens (9) believe that the farmed fish is more fatty than wild, and that it has minor quality (5) Lower share of consumers finds it is too expensive (5) or unnatural (5) Significant percentage () thinks that it does not know much about farmed fish, and only a quarter () estimates its knowledge as good
CROATIAN CONSUMERS THINK THAT FARMED FISH IS.. More fatty Lower quality 58 Agree () 5 Agree () 5 5 5 8 Istria and Primorja Zagreb Northern Croatia Central Croatia Slavonia 8 Istria and Primorja Zagreb Northern Croatia Central Croatia Slavonia
CROATIAN CONSUMERS THINK THAT.. It does not have natural shape, color or taste They do not know much about farmed fish Agree () 5 Agree () 5 55 5 5 Istria and Primorje Zagreb Northern Croatia Central Croatia Slavonia Istria and Primorje Zagreb Northern Croatia Central Croatia Slavonia
IMPACT OF ELEMENTS ON PURCHASE OF FARMED FISH 9 8 5 9 5 5 8 9 8 Lower price 8 5 Greater visibility of origin Better quality Better offer Quantity of information wouldnt affect at all () would affect completely (5) Lower price (5) and greater visibility of origin () of farmed species wold motivate Croatian consumers them to purchase more often farmed fish. In Adriatic regions, better quality (), better offer (58) and quantity of information (58) would tend to have smaller impact on purchasing decisions.
IMPACT OF ELEMENTS ON PURCHASE OF FARMED FISH BY REGIONS Lower price Better quality 55 5 5 Agree () Agree () 55 9 8 8 Istria and Primorje Istria and Primorje Zagreb Northern Croatia Zagreb Northern Croatia Central Croatia Slavonia Central Croatia Slavonia
IMPACT OF ELEMENTS ON PURCHASE OF FARMED FISH BY REGIONS Better visibility of origin Better offer Quantity of information 5 5 8 59 5 Agree () 5 Agree () 5 Agree () 59 8 58 58 5 8 Istria and Primorje Zagreb Northern Croatia Central Croatia Slavonia 8 Istria and Primorje Zagreb Northern Croatia Central Croatia Slavonia 8 Istria and Primorje Zagreb Northern Croatia Central Croatia Slavonia
IMPACT OF ELEMENTS ON PURCHASE OF FARMED FISH Total Slavonia Central Croatia Northern Croatia Zagreb Istria and Primorje Price.8..8..9.. Lower price would less motivate citizens of than citizens of Slavonia, Northern Croatia and Zagreb on purchase of farmed fish Visibility of origin..8.8..8.. Better quality would affect less citizens of than the ones in Slavonia and Northern Croatia Quality Offer...8..8...9...5... Better offer, visibility of origin and information are more important for people in Northern Croatia than in Quantity of inf..5.....5. In Adriatic regions all elements tend to be estimated as less influential
FISH AS A SOURCE OF VALUABLE NUTRIENTS Salmon, farmed Salmon, wild Carp, farmed Tilapia, farmed Chicken Beef Proteins g/g 8 9 Lipids g/g. 5.. 5 Water g/g 5 9 8 5 DHA + EPA (ω-) mg/ g 9 5 9 Source: Contribution of fish to nutrition security, by Jogeir Tope, FAO USDA National Nutrient Database (USDA, ) Source: Forking Croatia
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