Building trust: Consumer awareness, acceptance and attitudes related to European aquaculture and the potential effects of greenwashing

Abstract

Greenwashing is a major challenge for the promotion of sustainable markets. This study examines consumer segmentation and preferences about farmed fish with a focus on understanding consumer behaviour regarding greenwashing and its impact on perceptions. The study utilized a cross-sectional online survey conducted in 2019, gathering responses from 2,500 participants across the UK, France, Spain, Germany, and Italy. Its focus was to investigate European consumers' awareness, attitudes, and acceptance regarding aquaculture production methods. The results of cluster analysis identify three different consumer profiles that offer valuable insights for experts and policymakers. Moreover, findings show that consumers are concerned about the prevalence of greenwashing in sustainability communication in European aquaculture production. Despite a generally positive attitude and acceptance, the respondents' overall awareness of the various production systems is low. As far as we know, this is the first study to analyse consumer behaviour towards aquaculture taking into consideration the potential effects of greenwashing, helping to enrich the economic literature.

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