“Fresh foods carry the health halo with them, versus processed foods. It doesn’t matter what country you go to: fresh foods will always have those attributes,” Steve Lutz, Nielsen Perishables Group executive VP of told SeafoodSource.
In the Asia-Pacific region, fresh foods make up 60 percent of shoppers’ grocery shopping budgets and in Europe, fresh foods account for 53 percent of shoppers’ budgets, according to the Nielsen Global Survey of Fresh Foods report. In the U.S. and Latin America, fresh foods account for much less of shoppers’ baskets: 30 percent and 25 percent, respectively.
“In the U.S., consumers shop less frequently [than in Asia and Europe]. Because they are willing to drive further and make fewer shopping trips, those things work against fresh,” Lutz said. At the same time, fresh seafood sales are on the rise in the U.S. While beef, poultry, and pork volume all fell in 2012, fresh seafood volume rose 2.5 percent, according to Nielsen.
According to the study, when buying fresh seafood, North American shoppers look for a good value first, followed by fresh selection and convenience.
Even though overall fresh seafood prices remained fairly stable in the past year, North American shoppers perceived that seafood was a better value, particularly compared to the rising costs of beef and poultry, according to Lutz.
“It is really about the value they [shoppers] placed on a specific product. For example, lobster is still a very expensive seafood product, but sales were driven down because of supply this year. Even if lobster is USD 10 a pound, that is perceived as a value, compared to its regular price,” Lutz said.
While North American shoppers are seeking value, shoppers in the Middle East/ Africa region and in Latin America said fresh selection is most important to them, according to the survey. Europeans say that a good value is the most important attribute when buying fresh seafood, followed by fresh selection and convenience.
Even though fresh seafood sales rose in the U.S. last year, fresh seafood accounts for only five percent of stores’ total sales, according to Nielsen. Lutz believes that fresh seafood purchases lag behind other proteins because shoppers require much more customer service than other protein categories.
“Self-serve just does not touch the consumer…in the same way that beef and chicken does because consumers know the cuts and the selection in those departments. The input from the behind-the-counter person in a supermarket or the person running the fish shop is not only important for capturing sales, but for building consumer confidence and repeat purchases,” Lutz said.
(vasep.com.vn) VASEP has officially announced the program for Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026 (VSS 2026), featuring five in-depth sessions covering industry outlooks, trade barriers, buyer demand, the domestic market, and solutions to improve productivity and reduce costs across the seafood value chain.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s shrimp exports reached US$3.7 billion in the first nine months of 2026, up 11% year on year. Although growth has been supported by China and several markets within the CPTPP, momentum is slowing as exports to the United States and the European Union decline. Tariff pressures, international competition, and raw material challenges are creating significant hurdles for exporters in the final months of the year.
(vasep.com.vn) Markets are changing faster, buyer requirements are becoming more demanding, and trade barriers are growing increasingly complex. In this environment, seafood businesses need more than an understanding of current market conditions. They need a longer-term perspective to answer a critical question: Where will growth opportunities come from in 2027–2029, and what should businesses do now to prepare? This is one of the key reasons why VASEP is organizing Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026.
(vasep.com.vn) In the first eight months of 2026, Vietnam’s pangasius exports to the Middle East reached US$113 million, up 7% year on year from the same period in 2025. Growth has become more pronounced in recent months. In August alone, exports to the region totaled US$20 million, an increase of 24%. This indicates that demand for Vietnamese pangasius in the Middle East is gradually recovering after a slowdown in March, although the pace of recovery varies across markets.
(vasep.com.vn) China’s shrimp imports continued to grow strongly in 2026, while Vietnam’s shrimp exports to the market also recorded notable growth. However, behind these positive figures lie two distinct trends: Chinese consumption is growing more slowly than imports, and lobster accounts for a substantial share of Vietnam’s shrimp exports to China, making its product mix significantly different from those of Ecuador and India. Exporters therefore need to assess each segment carefully to understand the opportunities and risks.
(vasep.com.vn) Changing markets, shifting buyer demand, and increasingly complex trade barriers are raising a key question for Vietnam’s seafood industry: Where will the new growth opportunities lie in 2027–2029?
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) As of the end of August 2026, Vietnam’s tilapia exports to the United States reached $21 million, representing a steep 48% year-over-year decline and accounting for 23% of the country's total tilapia export turnover. Frozen fillets accounted for 78% with the remainder consisting of whole frozen tilapia and frozen cuts.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) After a volatile first half of the year, Vietnam’s pangasius exports to Brazil registered robust growth in July and August 2026. In August alone, export turnover reached $19 million, surging 73% compared to the same period in 2025. Cumulatively for the first eight months, total export value reached $124 million, reflecting an 8% year-over-year increase.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Besides modifying their boats, many fishermen in Dak Lak province are making efforts to venture out to sea to harvest seafood during the rough sea season.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) At the Responsible Seafood Summit and TCRS Shrimp Summit 2026, organized by the GSA (Global Seafood Alliance) in Bangkok, Thailand, the conversation about the future of the shrimp industry began with one of its most important foundations: seedstock quality.
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