The National Marine Fisheries Research Institute ( Department of Fisheries Economics ) is implementing the project IMPRESS – Innovative approaches for marine and freshwater based ingredients to develop sustainable foods and value chains. The project aims to promote sustainable and waste-free production and consumption. The four-year project is co-financed by Horizon Europe. It is implemented by a consortium of 14 institutes, business associations, non-profit organisations and SMEs from 7 countries. NMFRI is responsible for the socio-economic part of the project.
As part of NMFRI’s research in the IMPRESS project, consumer preferences for fish consumption and alternative products and purchase motivations were analysed. The results indicated that, irrespective of the country of the survey, three main factors influence fish consumption decisions: health, taste and dietary variety. Consumers also appreciate the nutritional value of fish, especially the high content of protein, omega-3 fatty acids and vitamins and minerals, which are crucial for heart health, brain health and overall body health.
In terms of barriers to purchasing and consuming fish, respondents pointed to high fish prices and their concerns about contaminants such as heavy metals and microplastics.
The research also showed that many consumers are interested in alternative products, e.g. of plant origin or with plant-based additives, but do not have enough information about their availability and nutritional value. As many as 48% of those surveyed declared a willingness to try products imitating fish products, which opens up the possibility of developing new products to meet the expectations of consumers who have so far had to avoid fish products due to, for example, allergies, and conscious consumers who adapt their consumption to the possibilities of sustainably sourced fish raw materials.
In the next phase of implementation, the IMPRESS project partners plan to use the data to develop prototype plant-based and hybrid products that are appealing in terms of taste, while also having high nutritional quality. The research team will focus on creating product prototypes and testing them with different consumer groups. These will be evaluated in terms of taste, texture, nutritional value and environmental impact. The ultimate goal is to develop products that can compete in the market with traditional products and attract new consumers interested in sustainable lifestyles.
The project manager at the NMFRI is Dr. Marcin Rakowski.
