Source: Fish Information and Services
Canned tuna is an almost ‘precious’ product, to which consumers attribute a higher value than is currently recognized. This has been stated in a report issued by the National Association of Manufacturers of Canned Fish and Shellfish (Anfaco-Cecopesca), with the support from the Fund for Market Regulation and Organization of Fisheries and Mariculture Products (FROM) and from funds from the European Union (EU).
The study, entitled The value of canned fish, was conducted to analyze the real situation of canned tuna in depth.
The report notes that canned tuna accounts for 68 percent of the industry sale volume in Spain.
It also stresses that according to the data provided by the Ministry of Environment and Rural and Marine Affairs (MARM), Spain is one of the main global consumers of canned tuna and the average consumption per citizen is 3 kilograms per year.
This country is also the leading producer of canned tuna in the EU and the second worldwide.
Other findings of the report are:
• Eight out of 10 consumers attribute to canned tuna a value 42 percent higher than the one recognized today. This difference is further increased, reaching 64 percent, when the consumer knows the nutritional values and the benefits generated by the consumption of canned tuna more thoroughly;
• Canned tuna is a healthy and nutritious product, and a natural source of omega 3. It is beneficial for the cardiovascular system and to maintain the level of cholesterol;
• The canned tuna tend to become an increasingly valuable and recognized product due to the difficulty of achieving a balance between the possibilities of the raw material supply, the need to ensure the sustainability of tuna resources and the growing demand for canned tuna in various markets;
• The Spanish tuna canning industry is committed to the sustainability and the responsible marketing of the resource through the adoption of management measures by the regional fisheries organizations in the different fisheries in order to maintain the required balance.
Anfaco believes that “it is imperative that all stakeholders appreciate the canned tuna in perspective and help enhance their image and the important benefits of consumption in order to continue occupying a privileged position in the consumers’ purchase bag.â€