CATEGORY MANAGEMENT | SEAFOOD
FMI research found that only 51% of seafood consumers could name a store or place in their area that is known for offering good seafood.
A compulsion for quality seafood Freshness and taste are key purchasing triggers
BY RICHARD MITCHELL
QUALITY IS KING in the seafood mer- chandising hierarchy. With seafood shoppers listing quality as the major factor in their purchasing decisions, it is imperative that merchandis- ers focus on providing products with the accompanying attributes, especially fresh- ness, analysts said. Such measures will better enable stores to become destination locations for seafood customers. “Reputations are hard to build, but they can go a long way toward driving shopper trips to a grocery store, particularly for
fresh foods,” states The Power of Seafood 2026 report, published by Arlington, Va.- based FMI—The Food Industry Association. FMI research found that only 51% of sea- food consumers could name a store or place in their area that is known for offering good seafood, and that most of the other shoppers would like there to be a nearby place known for good seafood. “Building a reputation for seafood can go far to attract those valuable, frequent seafood shoppers,” the report states. Seafood consumers spend more per
week on groceries (an average of $194) and 77% make two or more trips to the grocery store each week, The Power of Seafood states. There also is an average shopper spending of $103 when seafood is in the basket versus $48 without seafood, and frequent seafood consumers shop at more channels and are more likely to visit groceries, club stores and natural food loca- tions, the report notes. Seventy-one percent of seafood consum- ers in an FMI survey listed product quality as an important factor when shopping for
44 SUPERMARKETNEWS.COM SPRING 2026
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