ASC REMAINS THE MOST RECOGNISED FARMED SEAFOOD LABEL

ASC remains the most recognised farmed seafood label as consumer interest in sustainability grows, new survey finds. Global research of nearly 15,000 seafood consumers finds a return to consumption growth and rising interest in sustainable seafood choices.

Key findings at a glance:

• Seafood consumption is growing again: Consumers globally claimed a 2% net increase in fish and seafood consumption compared to 2024, signalling renewed opportunity for the seafood category.
• Taste and health drive consumption: Taste and enjoyment remain the leading reason for buying seafood (31%), followed by health (27%) and nutritional benefits (19%), with health and nutrition becoming more important since 2024.
• Interest in sustainability is growing: Both measures of sustainable consumption increased by more than 10 percentage points since 2024, and 78% of consumers say they would choose a product that is less harmful to people and the environment when choosing between otherwise equal products.
• Independent certification provides trusted reassurance: Consumers are almost twice as likely to trust independent certification schemes for seafood sustainability information (21%) as information from retailers (11%) or seafood brands (11%).
• ASC maintains strong recognition, trust and purchase preference: ASC is significantly more recalled and trusted than the other farmed seafood certification labels tested.

In side-by-side pack comparisons, consumers also rated ASC-labelled products as more trustworthy and more likely to be purchased.

• ASC is also significantly more strongly associated with quality and health. This means the ASC label can do more than communicate sustainability: its presence on pack can reinforce some of the key attributes that already drive consumers to buy seafood, particularly health and quality.

Fish and seafood consumption is on the rise, while consumer interest in sustainability continues to grow, with the ASC sustainability label maintaining strong consumer recognition and trust as an independent certification label, according to new global research from the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC).

ASC’s latest consumer research surveyed 14,795 seafood consumers across 14 countries between February and March 2026, examining seafood purchasing habits and changing attitudes towards seafood sustainability.

The findings were presented during the “Seafood Through the Consumer Lens: What’s Changed?” webinar, hosted by ASC on 8 September, which attracted more than 200 participants from across the seafood sector.

Seafood Consumption Returns to Growth

After a decline reported in ASC’s 2024 research, consumers globally now claim a 2% net increase in fish and seafood consumption, with the US recording particularly strong growth at 12%.

Key findings include:

• Taste and enjoyment in eating (31%) remain the leading reasons for buying seafood, followed by health (27%) and nutrition (19%).
• Freshness (31%) has overtaken price (27%) as consumers’ top spontaneous purchase consideration, replacing price as the number one factor in the previous survey. Quality ranks third at 15%. In the 2024 survey, price ranked first at 36%, followed by fish type and preparation (18%) and freshness (16%).
• Health is the leading positive consequence consumers associate with both wild-caught and farmed seafood.

Sustainability Interest is Rising

Both measures of sustainable consumption included in the research increased by more than 10 percentage points compared with 2024. Around 78% of consumers say they would choose a product that is less harmful to people and the environment when choosing between otherwise equal products, while 70% are interested in food carrying sustainability claims.

However, sustainability is not yet a leading purchase consideration. Just 3% spontaneously mention it when choosing seafood, rising to 10% when consumers are prompted.

The findings suggest sustainability resonates most strongly when connected with tangible benefits consumers value, including health, food safety and quality.

What the Findings Mean for Seafood Businesses

For seafood retailers and brands, the findings point to an opportunity to make sustainability a stronger part of the overall product proposition, rather than communicating it in isolation.

While sustainability is rarely the first consideration consumers spontaneously mention when buying seafood, interest rises significantly when consumers are prompted, and 78% say they would choose a product that is less harmful to people and the environment when choosing between otherwise equal products. And while hygiene is not a primary purchase driver, its growing importance highlights its role as a baseline expectation for consumers when it comes to seafood.

Independent Certification Remains the Most Trusted Source of Information

Trust also matters. Consumers are almost twice as likely to trust independent certification schemes for seafood sustainability information (21%) as information from retailers (11%) or seafood brands (11%). This gives businesses an opportunity to use the ASC sustainability label to provide credible reassurance alongside their own sustainability communications.

The research suggests businesses can make sustainability more relevant by connecting it with the attributes consumers already value when buying seafood – including freshness, quality, health and food safety – while using trusted independent certification to reinforce those messages.

For retailers and brands, this could mean making certification more visible across packaging, in-store and online communications; incorporating it into wider seafood campaigns; and using ASC’s sustainability credentials to strengthen customer confidence and differentiate products.

For producers and suppliers, growing consumer interest also reinforces the value of credible certification as a way to meet evolving customer expectations and support the sustainability commitments of retail and brand partners.

Willem de Bruijn, Chief Commercial Officer at ASC said:

“Consumers aren’t choosing seafood based on sustainability alone – freshness, quality, taste and health remain fundamental. But our research shows sustainability can strengthen that overall proposition, particularly when it is connected to the things shoppers already value.

“For retailers and brands, the opportunity is to make those connections clearer. With higher awareness and trust than other farmed seafood labels tested, alongside strong associations with quality and health, the ASC label offers businesses a particularly powerful way to build consumer confidence, differentiate products and reinforce attributes that already matter to seafood shoppers – making the sustainable choice easier.”

ASC Maintains Strong Consumer Recognition and Trust

Label awareness and importance has increased by three percentage points compared to 2024. ASC continues to stand out among the farmed seafood certification labels tested:

• 46% recall the ASC label, compared with 24% for BAP and 19% for GGN. All labels have increased their recall over the last two years, with ASC increasing the most.
• 66% say they trust the ASC label, compared with 47% for BAP and 46% for GGN.
• ASC is strongly associated with sustainability (40%), quality (38%) and health (24%). The new ASC label achieves similar results, at 38%, 40% and 24% respectively.

Recognition also translates into purchase preference. In pack tests involving 9,195 consumers, ASC-labelled products were rated more trustworthy and more likely to be purchased than the alternative certification labels tested.

“We’re delighted to see ASC maintain and grow its position as the world’s most recognised and trusted farmed seafood certification label. It’s encouraging to see the collective efforts of ASC and our partners helping make certified seafood easier to recognise, understand and choose,” added de Bruijn.

To see the visual representation of the Consumer Survey summary, click this link.

Image: Sustainability interest among consumers is rising and resonates strongest in connection with health, food safety and quality. ASC