Comparing fish to meat: Perceived qualities by food lifestyle segments

This article compares consumers' quality perceptions (in freshness, taste, food safety, value for money, and availability) of proteins from the sea (salmon and cod) and land (chicken, pork, and beef) using intensity of consumers' food involvement measured by food-related lifestyles (FRL) as an explaining factor. Based on an international survey of around 2000 consumers in four countries, the analysis finds that consumers with high food involvement scores rate fish higher than low involvement score consumers, often favorably to terrestrial meats. Low involved consumers perceive terrestrial meats more favorably than seafood. Seafood struggles with perceived value for money and availability compared to terrestrial meats, particularly among the low and middle involvement groups. The results indicate that low involvement consumers might not consider seafood a substitute for terrestrial meats, in contrast to higher food involvement groups.