Consumers’ Preferences Toward Farmed Salmon in China: Integrating Sensory and Choice Experiments

Abstract

China's growing demand for farmed salmon is apparent, with the country importing 190 thousand tonnes valued at over $1.12 billion in 2023. In response, the Chinese government allowed rainbow trout to be labelled and sold as salmon starting in 2018, bridging the gap between domestically produced trout and imported Atlantic salmon. This study aimed to explore how country-of-origin information influences Chinese consumers' sensory perceptions and willingness to pay (WTP) for salmon. Using a within-subject design with two evaluation rounds (blind and informed) we combined hedonic liking where Chinese consumers rated three salmon samples (from Norway, Chile, and China) with a discrete choice experiment. The results indicated that under the blind taste test, Chinese consumers found no significant difference in sensory preference between domestic rainbow trout and imported Atlantic salmon from Norway and Chile. However, when informed of the product origins, consumer preferences shifted in favor of Norwegian and Chilean Atlantic salmon. Furthermore, consumers' WTP for salmon was unaffected by the country of production unless provenance was disclosed, at which point the origin significantly influenced their preferences. Ecolabels, price, overall liking, education, frequency of aquatic food consumption, and prior experience with salmon were also found to impact WTP for salmon. These insights offer valuable insights for salmon producers/importers/marketers to customize their approaches in response to consumer preferences, refine product positioning, and seize upon opportunities within the competitive salmon market in China.