The Impact of Animal Welfare and Environmental Information on the Choice of Organic Fish: An Empirical Investigation of German Trout Consumers

Abstract

This article examines the effect of information on consumer preferences for farmed fish in the context of EU organic aquaculture production principles. A choice experiment was used to examine German consumers’ preferences for farmed rainbow trout. Respondents were split into separate groups, each receiving different levels of information about organic aquaculture production. The results show that most consumers have positive preferences for organic labeled fish, translating into an average additional willingness to pay €1.2/kg relative to nonorganic farmed trout. Informing consumers specifically about animal welfare consequences associated with the organic label significantly increases the likelihood of choosing the labeled product and increases the marginal willingness to pay €2.4/kg for organic trout. No effect was found when providing additional information about environmental consequences. Hence, focusing on animal welfare when promoting organic aquaculture production is likely to resonate with consumers, thereby potentially increasing market shares and producer revenues.