Consumer attitudes on electrical stunning of sea bream and sea bass in Greece’s largest markets
Executive Summary
In June 2024, the Centre for Aquaculture Progress commissioned Savanta, a leading market research company, to conduct a comprehensive study analyzing consumer preferences for fish welfare in Greece, Italy, Spain, and France. The representative survey, which included 1,600 participants, revealed that an overwhelming majority of consumers (83%) endorse humane slaughter practices for sea bream and sea bass, specifically the use of pre-slaughter electrical stunning. Moreover, among consumers who purchase these fish species, 80% expressed willingness to pay more for humanely slaughtered fish. This indicates that introducing pre-slaughter electrical stunning can be economically viable and even profitable for fish producers. These findings highlight an opportunity for the Greek fish industry to align their practices with consumer expectations while simultaneously modernizing its harvest processes.