Malta is a naturally formed island surrounded by water on all the sides. Despite being a Mediterranean country and a hub for many fishing activities, Malta ranks in the second-highest position for low people’s preference towards fish from the Eurobarometer survey.
Maltese people have a growing interest in seaweed. From the Eurobarometer Survey, it shows that Malta and Poland are ranked in the top positions for weekly seaweed and algae product consumption. On the other hand, Greece, Sweden and Finland are reportedly noted as having the least rate of consumption.
The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) and the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) are the main sustainability certifications that European retailers use for wild-caught and farmed seafood.The current statistical reports, according to the European Union, are expected to consume 6.2 kilograms of fish and seafood and the Total Revenue for the Seafood and Fish market in the EU is expected to be US $115.94 billion.
The leading cause of the lower consumption of seafood in Malta is because of the elevated acceleration of price hikes in the Seafood Industry. From 2019 to 2022, EU consumers have shown a receptive look towards seafood products at home due to the impact of COVID-19.
The rising momentum is now over and by 2023 the household consumption of Market-fresh took a sharp decline to its lowest level. This downward trend in household consumption has led to an upswing in inflation, affecting the potential consumer’s purchasing power at the retail level.
The European Market Observatory for Fisheries and Aquaculture Products (EUMOFA) is a European Commission Service which shows a lot of interest in developing and reshaping the EU Fisheries and Aquaculture. The reports and data being provided by EUMOFA showcase essential Insights, trends and changes in shaping the sector.
The key factor of the survey taken by Eurobarometer 2024 is to understand consumer behavior, to determine the changes in the consumption of fisheries and aquaculture and to uncover the consumer attitude towards seaweed and algae products.
