Recommendations for increased consumption of aquatic foods
Insights from the aquatic food choice framework and the COM‑B model show that aquatic food choice is shaped by multiple interrelated factors. As a consequence, no single policy instrument can shift behaviour on its own.
This complexity calls for comprehensive, long‑term strategies that combine multiple policy tools. Building on the Nordic Council’s dietary recommendations and the identified determinants of aquatic food choice, the following sections outline actionable measures across market‑based, regulatory, nudging, and information‑based approaches to promote sustainable aquatic food consumption.
1. Reducing VAT
Aquatic foods have experienced the steepest price increases in the Nordic region, rising over 40% since 2015, making cost a major barrier to meeting dietary recommendations. Because price is one of the strongest determinants of aquatic food choice, reducing VAT on fish and seafood, would significantly improve affordability and stimulate consumption.
2. Information Campaigns Targeting Young Consumers
Young people consume far less aquatic food than recommended, and information-based tools can effectively strengthen their motivation and capability by increasing awareness, knowledge, and practical skills. Funding integrated campaigns, combining nutritional messaging with cooking tutorials, hands-on workshops, and pretested communication materials, would give young consumers clearer guidance and greater confidence in choosing and preparing fish and seafood.
3. Clear and Harmonised Labelling
Consumers increasingly want to make healthy and environmentally responsible choices, but unclear or inconsistent labels reduce their opportunity to act on these intentions. Strengthening and harmonising labelling systems would make it easier for consumers to identify healthier and more sustainable aquatic foods at the point of purchase.
4. Strengthening Public Procurement
Public procurement has the potential to influence everyday food choices by ensuring that schools, hospitals, and workplace cantinas offer fish and seafood at least twice a week. By doing so, institutions make these options readily available while reducing the need for individuals to prepare the dishes themselves, thereby improving both the opportunity and the practical capability to choose nutritious aquatic foods. To improve implementation, training support for catering staff would help increase their capacity to create appealing, nutritionally appropriate aquatic food dishes.
5. Mandatory Training in Schools
Introducing mandatory education and training in handling and preparing fish and other aquatic foods in schools would strengthen young people’s capability to cook and consume aquatic foods. As younger age groups report both lower seafood intake and limited cooking skills, early skill‑building would reduce practical barriers and support adherence to dietary recommendations.
6. Make fish the default option
Default options can help shape everyday habits and social norms by making fish the standard protein choice in settings such as schools, workplace canteens, and hospitals on selected days. This nudging approach increases aquatic food consumption without limiting their freedom, since most individuals tend to stick with the option that is already in place rather than actively selecting an alternative.
7. Promoting Lesser‑Used Aquatic Species
Aquatic food consumption in the Nordic region is concentrated on a small number of familiar species, even though many lesser‑used options are both widely available and more affordable. Encouraging people to choose these species requires building food literacy through education, recipes, and cooking guidance, while also reducing neophobia by offering tastings, working with chefs, and using cultural stories to make unfamiliar fish feel more familiar. Introducing lesser‑used species as default options in public meals and ensuring clear sustainability and health labelling can further expand opportunity and normalise their consumption.
Recommendations for increased consumption of aquatic foods
Insights from the aquatic food choice framework and the COM‑B model show that aquatic food choice is shaped by multiple interrelated factors. As a consequence, no single policy instrument can shift behaviour on its own.
This complexity calls for comprehensive, long‑term strategies that combine multiple policy tools. Building on the Nordic Council’s dietary recommendations and the identified determinants of aquatic food choice, the following sections outline actionable measures across market‑based, regulatory, nudging, and information‑based approaches to promote sustainable aquatic food consumption.
1. Reducing VAT
Aquatic foods have experienced the steepest price increases in the Nordic region, rising over 40% since 2015, making cost a major barrier to meeting dietary recommendations. Because price is one of the strongest determinants of aquatic food choice, reducing VAT on fish and seafood, would significantly improve affordability and stimulate consumption.
2. Information Campaigns Targeting Young Consumers
Young people consume far less aquatic food than recommended, and information-based tools can effectively strengthen their motivation and capability by increasing awareness, knowledge, and practical skills. Funding integrated campaigns, combining nutritional messaging with cooking tutorials, hands-on workshops, and pretested communication materials, would give young consumers clearer guidance and greater confidence in choosing and preparing fish and seafood.
3. Clear and Harmonised Labelling
Consumers increasingly want to make healthy and environmentally responsible choices, but unclear or inconsistent labels reduce their opportunity to act on these intentions. Strengthening and harmonising labelling systems would make it easier for consumers to identify healthier and more sustainable aquatic foods at the point of purchase.
4. Strengthening Public Procurement
Public procurement has the potential to influence everyday food choices by ensuring that schools, hospitals, and workplace cantinas offer fish and seafood at least twice a week. By doing so, institutions make these options readily available while reducing the need for individuals to prepare the dishes themselves, thereby improving both the opportunity and the practical capability to choose nutritious aquatic foods. To improve implementation, training support for catering staff would help increase their capacity to create appealing, nutritionally appropriate aquatic food dishes.
5. Mandatory Training in Schools
Introducing mandatory education and training in handling and preparing fish and other aquatic foods in schools would strengthen young people’s capability to cook and consume aquatic foods. As younger age groups report both lower seafood intake and limited cooking skills, early skill‑building would reduce practical barriers and support adherence to dietary recommendations.
6. Make fish the default option
Default options can help shape everyday habits and social norms by making fish the standard protein choice in settings such as schools, workplace canteens, and hospitals on selected days. This nudging approach increases aquatic food consumption without limiting their freedom, since most individuals tend to stick with the option that is already in place rather than actively selecting an alternative.
7. Promoting Lesser‑Used Aquatic Species
Aquatic food consumption in the Nordic region is concentrated on a small number of familiar species, even though many lesser‑used options are both widely available and more affordable. Encouraging people to choose these species requires building food literacy through education, recipes, and cooking guidance, while also reducing neophobia by offering tastings, working with chefs, and using cultural stories to make unfamiliar fish feel more familiar. Introducing lesser‑used species as default options in public meals and ensuring clear sustainability and health labelling can further expand opportunity and normalise their consumption.
