EUMOFA has recently published a study entitled “Online sales of fishery and aquaculture products”.
The study analyses the new challenges faced by stakeholders (in particular fishers and fish farmers) regarding the use of online sales and digital solutions, and the sales opportunities available across local, national, and global seafood markets. Nine countries and eleven case studies are analysed in the report.
Online sales of FAP take place through a range of channels including dedicated online platforms, and the websites of producers, intermediate traders, and retailers. Direct sales are among the most popular business to consumer (B2C) models of online sales, while other business models include online intermediaries and community-based models.
The effects of the COVID-19 outbreak, in particular the closure of fresh counters in large retail shops, city markets, the HoReCa sector, and the drop in demand for fresh fish products in retail have led to strong development of direct selling in coastal areas across Europe. To support this new market opportunity, online tools and delivery services have grown.
Online sales bring advantages for both producers and consumers. Producers have control over the marketing process at every phase. They increase their revenue thanks to more flexible pricing models, while consumers usually benefit from high product quality and competitive prices.
Online selling entails a number of obligations and new skills. Usually, these include the additional costs of packaging and shipping. In addition, establishing and maintaining online tools can be challenging and time-consuming.
Reference (open access):
EUMOFA. 2021. Online sales of fishery and aquaculture products. 43 p.
