Aquaculture Europe 2025 - Valencia

Joan Riera warns of falling fish consumption and urges industry to embrace convenience

Valencia, 26 September 2025 |

Joan Riera, especialista mercados Kantar |@misPeces

Fish consumption across Europe has fallen sharply in recent years, but the trend could be reversed if the industry adapts to changing consumer habits, according to researcher Joan Riera of consumer insights agency Kantar.

Speaking at Aquaculture Europe 2025 in Valencia, Riera highlighted that seafood consumption has declined by an average of 11% across the continent, with countries such as the UK, Italy, France, Belgium, Portugal, Poland and Spain all affected.

He pointed to two key factors behind the downturn: price pressures and convenience. After several years of high inflation, Spanish households are now paying around 30% more for the same products than a few years ago. As a result, many families are substituting more expensive proteins – such as fish, lamb and shellfish – for cheaper alternatives including chicken, pork and eggs.

Convenience is also reshaping dietary choices. “People say they would like more time to cook, but in reality we are spending less and less time in the kitchen. Convenience has become one of the main drivers of consumption,” Riera explained.

He warned that this shift poses a major challenge for the seafood sector: to provide easy-to-prepare formats that suit younger families, who are often less accustomed to handling fish at home.

One success story, he noted, has been salmon, which has enjoyed sustained growth over the past two decades despite its relatively high price. With a penetration rate of 78% of Spanish households, it has become the most widely consumed species thanks to its versatility, lack of bones and wide range of ready-to-use formats.

“Salmon brings together the three factors consumers value most today: health, convenience and taste,” Riera said.

He also pointed to innovations in retail, such as Mercadona’s shift from traditional fish counters to self-service aisles, which early data suggest are helping boost both penetration and purchase frequency, particularly among younger households.

Despite current headwinds, Riera offered an optimistic outlook, stressing that Europe’s ageing population is likely to drive future growth. At present, Spanish household over the age of 65 consume around 52kg of fish per year, compared with just 14-25 kg among younger households.

“Over the next 15 years, a large share of Europe’s population will be over 60. The will have more time to cook, greater need to look after their health and, above all, a natural affinity with fish. This is good news for the sector,” he concluded.