Consumer attitudes towards farm-raised and wild-caught fish: variables of product perception

Global and national fish sector trends require Italian operators to implement new marketing strategies for their production to evade foreign competition and exploit the Italian agro-food system synergies. This survey analyses customer purchase attitudes, especially towards farm-raised fish through a hierarchical clustering analysis performed on 300 buyers in traditional shops in Milan. The perception of the product seems to be tied to traditional customs. However, it is indicated that contemporary customers have the capacity to understand differences between fish products, consequently allowing for new communication approaches. In particular, wild-caught fish, purchased by hedonic and old customers, can be displayed through new labels stating the product origin, in order to merge sensory and cultural-empathetic consumption together. The fish farmers' challenge is to enhance consumer loyalty to their product, through general communication campaigns related to the farm-raised fishes' intrinsic and environmental properties to fill the gap between producers' and buyers' knowledge.