Flexitarianism: What Does It Mean For Tuna?

A rise in consumers shying away from eating meat and swearing to a new trendy diet called “flexitarianism” could have significant impact on the tuna industry. A more health conscious and sustainability-minded shopper who is choosier about the food they pick, can have massive consequences for seafood sales, which has been evidenced through record numbers in terms of seafood sales worldwide. And consequently, meat products seem to have been facing a downward spiral in some markets.  

Flexitarianism is predicted as one of the key food trends for this year. It can be described as a middle-ground diet between being a fully committed vegetarian and a hardcore carnivore; a food plan where you still eat meat, but in smaller amounts. One example of the diet is mainly consuming vegetables, fruit, dairy, and grains during the week, but then rewarding yourself with a juicy steak at the weekend. The trendy diet could also mean that people will be swapping their meat choices for fish, as it is considered by some to be both healthier and better for the environment. Responsibly and sustainably sourced food is also one of the pillars of this lifestyle choice.

According to a study by Pew Research Center, nine percent of US adults claim to be vegetarians, a number said to be growing especially among the millennial generation. The trend has also hit Europe, with 34 percent of Germans for example having reduced their meat intake over the last two years. As a consequence, the meat industry has faced sales struggles recently in some markets, with some also seeing a rise in seafood sales.

There are several reasons why some people choose to limit their intake of meat in the food they eat, and in some cases go for fish, including tuna, instead. A Pescetarian diet relies on fish as a protein source, as it does not include any meat. The reason why some people choose to follow this diet is that they believe fish to be healthier than meat products such as beef. Fish, including tuna, contain lots of healthy nutrients such as Omega 3 and fatty acids, as well as protein.

Research shows that eating the recommended two portions of fish a week could cut the risk of death from heart disease by one third, and the UN recently revealed that processed meats such as sausages and ham could cause bowel cancer as they contain a lot of unhealthy fats. According to a study, people who followed a diet consisting primarily of fish and vegetables – but no meat – were 43 percent less likely to develop the disease, with vegetarians also having a 20 percent reduced risk of developing cancer than carnivores. Even becoming a part-time vegetarian lowered the chance by eight percent.

There are hints that more and more people are paying attention to these claims, as global seafood consumption reached over 20kg per person for the first time ever last year. Additionally, sales of meat in the UK market dropped by more than GBP 300 million (USD 373 million) YoY in 2016, according to a report by The Grocer. This might be an indication that people are swapping meat in their diets for other protein sources such as tuna.

Although beef is regarded as having a high protein content, tuna is not far behind. Yellowfin tuna contains 24g of protein per 100g serving and skipjack contains 22g per same weight. In comparison, a beef steak contains 25g of protein per 100 grams; high content across the board. Additionally, tuna comes without the unhealthy fats found in red meat.   

A fully vegetarian diet, where neither fish nor meat is included, has been said to lack sufficient protein. It has also been claimed that people who stick to this diet can suffer from nutritional deficiency. And it is here where the tuna industry can get a golden chance to increase its popularity. Since eating too much meat can be unhealthy, and the same if not eating enough protein, consuming more fish like tuna could be the perfect middle ground.

“I chose to be a pescetarian over a vegetarian because I feel that the health benefits are more. I wouldn’t get a varied enough diet otherwise and would miss out on protein. So fish is a big part of my diet to keep me healthy and helps give me the energy to keep up my running, says one UK consumer to Atuna.

Is this the time for the tuna industry to reach out to consumers who are looking for an alternative protein source to meat? By increasing focus on the protein content of tuna products there could be potential to grow sales at a time when shoppers are steering away from eating meat, with tuna being the perfect substitute for a consumer in the UK; “I enjoy tuna as it is a very meaty fish. It is a good substitute for not eating meat. Tuna steak especially”.

This view indicates that those people limiting their meat intake might not only choose to eat more fish, but might also be looking for meatier seafood alternatives when they do. Instead of people opting for seafood for the fishy taste, a craving for products which have a similar texture to meat could steer them in a different direction, such as choosing a yellowfin steak rather than a can of tuna.

There is also another group of consumers who see the benefits to the climate as a reason to cut down on the amount of meat they eat. The livestock industry has garnered a bad reputation lately for leaving behind a massive carbon footprint, with the US Food and Drug Administration (FAO) announcing that 18 percent of global emission comes from the meat industry.

A study on British people’s diets by Oxford University revealed that meat-rich meal plans consisting of a consumption of more than 100 grams daily, resulted in 7.2kg of carbon dioxide emissions per day. Both vegetarians and people who eat fish but not meat, pescetarians, contrastingly cause around 3.8kg of CO2 per day through their food consumption.

Another reason why some people choose to avoid eating meat products is that the slaughtering and consumption of animals purely to eat them can be seen as unethical. One UK consumer explained to Atuna that there are less moral problems with consuming fish. “I probably have less emotional thoughts regarding fish and perhaps naively, my view is that they are generally in their natural habitat when they are caught and that there is far less cruelty involved,” he says.

When it comes to what actual differences this trend will have on the market, we might see a change in how consumers budget when it comes to shopping for meat and seafood products”. As the people who choose to follow the trend will be eating meat less often, it might mean that they will opt for more expensive and extravagant meat or fish product when they allow themselves to eat it, such as having a salmon or yellowfin steak instead of a salad with canned tuna for dinner. This fits with the shift which has been seen in what type of fish and seafood consumers go for both in the US and in Europe with an increasing group going for fresh. In the UK, for instance, chilled tuna sales saw an increase of 15.5 percent YoY from December 2015.

Part of the flexitarian trend is to stick to meat and fish which has come from a responsible source, and the flexitarians who follow it might be more inclined to do so as they eat it less often. As a Time article suggests, a vegetarian-based diet is at least USD 750 cheaper per year and those who follow it can therefore afford to pay for the environmentally-friendly factor, which sometimes can add an extra cost to the product. MSC labelled seafood, usually regarded as the highest sustainability standard in this category, is sold at many different prices and can sometimes mean a premium on the cost of a tuna product.

As an example, looking at the Princes brand in Dutch supermarket Albert Heijn, a 185g can of tuna chunks in water without MSC certification costs EUR 1.45. In comparison, the same product with MSC certification costs 50 percent more based on the same weight. This shows that sustainability can come at a significant premium even within a brand’s own range. The price difference can be even higher when buying more exclusive brands. Skipjack tuna in water from the brand Fish Tales, which is fully MSC certified, costs EUR 2.10 for a 160 gram can. Similarly, MSC-certified Followfish in the German market, can be found in a 185g can for EUR 2.99. However, some tuna products can still be affordable with an MSC certification, as the cheapest yellowfin steaks on offer in the Dutch market carry the blue tick of approval.

It is difficult to project exactly what this diet shift will mean for the tuna business just yet. But companies should take notice that the buyer is becoming more conscious of their own health and how what they eat impacts it, offering an opportunity for firms to market the health benefits, as well as the sustainability factor, of their tuna products more heavily to keep up with the movement. The effect of this trend will rely heavily on how well brands will be able to meet this trend, and reach out to the right consumers.