A Research Paper Submitted in partial requirements for HUEC 3012 of The University of the West Indies Title: Consumer knowledge and purchasing practices of fresh fish Student Name: Georgeina Hall Project Supervisor: Dr. Patricia Dyett Year Submitted: 2012 Department of Agricultural Economics & Extension Faulty of Food and Agricultural CONSUMER KNOWLEDGE AND PURCHASING PRACTICES OF FRESH FISH A Research Paper Submitted in Partial Requirements for HUEC 3012 Of The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine Campus Georgina Hall Supervised by Dr. Patricia Dyett 2012 809004991 Consumer Awareness and Research Paper Purchasing Practices of Fresh Fish 2 Acknowledgement The successful completion of this study would not have been possible without the assistance and cooperation of a number of individuals. Firstly, I thank God for enabling me with the strength and persistence to complete this project. Also, special thanks to my supervisor, Dr. Patricia Dyett for her guidance throughout this project; the president of the Claxton Bay Fishing Association, Mr. Kishore Boodram for supplying me with necessary information on the location; Dr. Legall who was willingly helpful in the statistical analysis of the project; and my friends for their support and motivation. Last but certainly not least, I would like to thank the consumers from the studied locations who took time out of their busy schedules to assist me in this project. Indeed I am thankful for your cooperation. 809004991 Consumer Awareness and Research Paper Purchasing Practices of Fresh Fish 3 (i) Abstract This study sought to prove that a relationship exists between consumer’s awareness on the assessment of the quality of fresh fish and consumer purchasing behaviour. One hundred fresh fish consumers from the inland and coastal regions of Trinidad were surveyed by a questionnaire which had questions pertaining to purchasing behaviour, demographics, awareness on fresh fish quality characteristics, and fish- borne illnesses. Results showed that a majority of the consumers purchase from the local fish market and the main quality factor of most importance to the consumers was found to be freshness of fish. Also, results showed that the mean awareness of the characteristics of fresh fish quality is 29± 10.013 while the mean awareness of fish borne illnesses is 1.84 ± 2.852. Additionally, correlations showed that at the 1% level of significance supermarket purchases is related to consumers’ awareness of the characteristics of fresh fish; while at the 5% level of significance sea- side purchases and the frequency of purchases are related to consumers’ awareness of the characteristics of fresh fish. Therefore, it was concluded that consumers are aware of the quality characteristics of fresh fish and this awareness relates to their purchasing behaviour. 809004991 Consumer Awareness and Research Paper Purchasing Practices of Fresh Fish 4 Table of Contents (i) Abstract.............................................................................................................................. 3 1. Introduction.............................................................................................................. 7-13 1.1. Background.....................................................................................................7-9 1.2. Problem Statement............................................................................................9 1.3. Justification.........................................................................................................10 1.4. Objectives.......................................................................................................... 10-11 1.4.1. General.................................................................................................10 1.4.2. Specific.............................................................................................10-11 1.5. Hypotheses.......................................................................................................11 1.6. Scope..............................................................................................................11-12 1.7. Key Terms.....................................................................................................12-13 2. Literature Review including theoretical framework.........................................................14-21 3. Materials and Methodology........................................................................................ 22- 23 4. Results.................................................................................................................... 24-34 5. Discussion................................................................................................................. 35- 39 6. Conclusion...................................................................................................................... 40 7. Recommendations......................................................................................................... 41 8. References................................................................................................................. 42-43 9. Appendices................................................................................................................ 44- 46 809004991 Consumer Awareness and Research Paper Purchasing Practices of Fresh Fish 5 List of Tables and List of Figures Figure 1 The Scope of Focus on the Map of Trinidad ................................................................... 12 Figure 2 The Total Food Quality Model ........................................................................................ 20 Figure 3 Place of purchase of unprocessed fish by consumers (n =100) ..................................... 25 Figure 4 Consumers of unprocessed fish from the supermarket in relation to age (n= 20) ........ 27 Figure 5 Consumers of unprocessed fish from street vendors, seaside vendors, and the local fish market in relation to sex ............................................................................................................... 27 Figure 6 Consumers of unprocessed fish from sea- side vendors and mobile vendors in relation to location ..................................................................................................................................... 27 Figure 7 The frequency of fresh fish purchases by consumers in relation to the place of purchase ........................................................................................................................................ 29 Figure 8 Frequency of fresh fish purchases by consumers in relation to the location ............... 31 Table 1 Frequency results of demographic characteristics of the respondents in the study (n=100) .......................................................................................................................................... 24 Table 2 Cross tabulation of the significance of demographic characteristics in relation to the place of purchase .......................................................................................................................... 26 Table 3 Cross tabulation results of the importance of quality factors on local fish market and supermarket consumers ............................................................................................................... 28 Table 4 Cross tabulation results of the significance of demographic characteristics in relation to the frequency of fresh fish purchases .......................................................................................... 30 Table 5 Means results of awareness of consumers on fresh fish quality and fish- borne illnesses ....................................................................................................................................................... 31 Table 6 ANOVA results of correlation between independent variables and the awareness of consumers on fresh fish quality .................................................................................................... 32 809004991 Consumer Awareness and Research Paper Purchasing Practices of Fresh Fish 6 Table 7 ANOVA results of the significant independent variables correlated to awareness of consumers ..................................................................................................................................... 34 809004991 Consumer Awareness and Research Paper Purchasing Practices of Fresh Fish 7 (1) Introduction 2.1. Background Fish is an important source of protein and it is widely consumed for its health benefits and taste. It is believed to be a healthier choice of protein source than most other meats since it contains Omega 3 fatty acids which are claimed to aid in the treatment and prevention of Cardiovascular Diseases. However despite this major health benefit, fish, especially fresh fish, can be detrimental to health if not handled with care as it is a highly perishable commodity. ‘Fresh fish’ refers to fish which has never been frozen and has an acceptable shelf life of ten days (Wedemeyer 2003). Within these ten days, fresh fish is considered of good quality if handled correctly and kept under the correct storage conditions as outlined by the code of practice for fresh fish and seafood by the Food and Agriculture Organization and World Health Organization (FAO and WHO 2009). However, as fresh fish age and becomes deteriorated by bacteria, it becomes prone to scombrotoxin production (FAO and WHO 2009), leading to fish poisoning. Scombroid poisoning is the second most popular fish borne toxicity that is highly prevalent throughout the Caribbean. It is associated with a high histamine build up in fresh fish due to poor handling practices (Brody n.d.). Such practices include storing fish on no ice or on an inadequate amount, or even having it exposed to ambient temperatures for long periods of time. Histamine formation may be inactivated by freezing but once formed, it cannot be eliminated by heat or freezing (Köse 2010); thus, such poor handling and storage practices put 809004991 Consumer Awareness and Research Paper Purchasing Practices of Fresh Fish 8 consumers and their households at adverse health risks even if such fish is stored well after purchase. In Trinidad, unhygienic practices are observed with fresh fish handling by some vendors. Fresh fish is mainly sold in fish markets and laws have been put in place to make sure wholesome fish is delivered to the consumer under the country market act, chapter 68:02. According to this act with respect to fresh fish, no fish should be stored after closing hours nor shall be removed from the market to any cold stores. In addition to this, fresh fish should not be sold or offered or be exposed for sale which was exposed on a previous day. Fish should also only be exposed or sold at the stall set aside for that purpose (Ministry of Legal Affairs 2009). Despite the fines and other consequences for a breach in the laws, these laws are still commonly broken which may be due to lack of supervision by Health Officers and Inspectors. As such, it is believed that market vendors sell fish from previous days and store fish at ambient temperatures. Fresh fish is also sold by both street and mobile vendors and to a lesser extent by selective supermarkets. Fresh fish bought from these sources is convenient to consumers as a majority of the fish markets are located on the coastal areas of the island. Likewise, unhygienic practices are also observed. Street and mobile fish vendors tend to store fresh fish in inadequate ice, at the wrong temperature and/or in the wrong storage container, or even for more than the recommended storage time. Even though some measure of quality of fish is maintained in the supermarkets, it is believed that consumers are deceived into thinking they are purchasing ‘fresh fish’ when in reality the fish remains for a longer storage time than usual as it may have been previously frozen before being chilled until sale. 809004991 Consumer Awareness and Research Paper Purchasing Practices of Fresh Fish 9 Therefore, the observed behaviour of many fresh fish outlets prompted this research on consumer’s awareness and the assessment of the quality of fresh fish. This study aims to prove that a relationship exists between consumer’s awareness on the assessment of the quality of fresh fish and consumer purchasing behaviour. Consumers who are able to effectively assess the quality of fresh fish may apply this knowledge when purchasing fresh fish and it may even influence their choice on the source outlet for fresh fish. However, the importance of quality factors of fresh fish may vary from consumer to consumer and this may also influence their overall purchasing behaviour. Thus, this study is not only limited to the intrinsic quality factors of fresh fish, such as its sensory characteristics, but it also takes into consideration extrinsic factors that may influence whether fresh fish is purchased. The factors include: convenience, price, and the length of time it was stored on ice. 1.2. Justification The research is warranted as there are few studies done on the subject, particularly in Trinidad. Most reported studies focused on consumer purchasing behaviour of seafood done in Asia. In addition to this, few studies pertained to consumer knowledge, awareness or perception of quality of fish in general. Furthermore, there are limited recent studies in this area. The most recent studies conducted on consumer perceptions about seafood were done in 1995 in Europe and then in 2008 in the United States. Thus, this research is significant as it will be one out of the few to be conducted in Trinidad and to make a direct link between consumer purchasing behaviour and the awareness of the quality of fresh fish. 809004991 Consumer Awareness and Research Paper Purchasing Practices of Fresh Fish 10 1.3. Research Question/ Problem Statement The current sale of fresh fish under poor storage and handling practices by fresh fish outlets in Trinidad increases the risk of contracting a fish borne illness in consumers and their households which can result in fish poisoning and consequently death. This problem can be minimized or avoided through consumer awareness of the appropriate assessment of the quality characteristics of fresh fish, fish storage, and fish handling, before purchase. 1.4. Objectives 1.4.1. General Objectives This research seeks to examine the awareness of consumers in a coastal rural region and an inland urban region of Trinidad on the safety procedure of handling, storing, and assessing fresh fish and to determine if their awareness coincides with their purchasing practices. 1.4.2. Specific Objectives 1. To determine where consumers mainly purchase fresh fish and their reasons for the choice. 2. To assess consumers’ awareness on the characteristics of fresh fish, and the storage and holding conditions before purchasing, as well as some types of fish borne illnesses. 3. To compare the fresh fish purchasing habits and the awareness of consumers from a coastal region with an inland region in Trinidad. 4. To determine the demographics (age and sex) of the targeted population in relation to their awareness on fresh fish and their purchasing practices. 809004991 Consumer Awareness and Research Paper Purchasing Practices of Fresh Fish 11 1.5. Hypothesis Based on the previous research from similar studies, it is expected that the observations made in this study will share a common pattern. Thus, the predictions made in research arrived from previous studies are related to the specific objectives of this current study. As such, it is hypothesized that: 1. More respondents will be consumers of fresh fish from the local fish market than from the supermarket, and other sources. 2. A great number of respondents will be unaware of specific quality characteristics of fresh fish but those within the coastal region will be more aware than those in the inland region. 3. The majority of respondents who purchase fresh fish from the supermarket will be in the younger age range than the older age ranges. 1.6. Scope Due to financial and time restraints, this study is limited to Claxton Bay as the coastal region of study and the East-West corridor of Trinidad from Tunapuna to Curepe as the inland area. 809004991 Consumer Awareness and Research Paper Purchasing Practices of Fresh Fish 12 Figure 1 The Scope of Focus on the Map of Trinidad 1.7. Key Terms Key terms that will be frequently used throughout this paper are defined as follows: 1. Awareness - The state or condition of having knowledge or understanding of a subject or issue or situation (Macmillan 2009). 2. Consumer - An individual who buys products or services for personal use and not for manufacture or resale, as well as makes the decision whether or not to purchase an item at a store (Investor Words 2012). Curepe- St. Augustine- Tunapuna Claxtons Bay 809004991 Consumer Awareness and Research Paper Purchasing Practices of Fresh Fish 13 3. Customer Purchasing Behaviour – The process by which individuals search for, select, purchase, use, and dispose of goods and services in satisfaction of their needs and wants (Business Dictionary 2012). 4. Fresh Fish - Fish which have not been frozen from catch to market then to the consumer (Finest at sea 2005) and have an acceptable shelf life of ten days (Wedemeyer 2003). 5. Perception - This is the process by which people translate sensory impressions into a coherent and unified view (Business Dictionary 2012). 6. Quality - The totality of features and characteristics of a product or service that bear on its ability to satisfy stated or implied needs (ISO 8402: 1986, 3.7). 809004991 Consumer Awareness and Research Paper Purchasing Practices of Fresh Fish 14 (2) Literature Review Fresh fish quality is an important factor that must be considered when choosing from a particular outlet. Consumers should be aware about the quality of fresh fish so that the application of this knowledge can influence the choice of outlet and in essence, decrease the chances of a contracting food borne illness or toxin like scombroid poisoning. Literature pertaining to this current study on consumer purchasing practices of fresh fish has shown that consumers tend to mostly buy seafood from the fish market and their decisions are mainly based on subjective quality characteristics of the seafood. However, this literature also suggests that consumers are not able to detect the quality of seafood. Due to the limited research done on fresh fish, this review will include literature pertaining to seafood and will first seek to explain the quality of fresh fish. Fish Quality According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA 2012), the quality of fish involves aspects related to gastronomic delights, purity, nutrition, safety, consistency, fairness, and value and product excellence. However, as highlighted by Fisheries and Aquaculture Department 1995, fish quality mainly includes the aesthetic appearance and freshness of fish as well as safety aspects. The freshness of fish deals with the degree of spoilage and can be subjectively determined by consumers using sensory assessments (FDA 2012). Literature indicates that sensory assessment can be done through the evaluation of the eyes, gills, and the general appearance of the fish. As subjective evaluations can be bias, a standard criterion is used for the assessment of fresh fish known as quality index method. Based on this method, 809004991 Consumer Awareness and Research Paper Purchasing Practices of Fresh Fish 15 characteristics of high quality fresh fish includes gills which are red, clear eyes, and an overall general appearance of stiff, shiny, bright skin (Fisheries and Aquaculture Department 1995). As fresh fish is highly perishable, certain practices must be put in place to decrease the rapid degradation of fresh fish. With reference to the Food and Agriculture Organization and World Health Organization (2009), fresh fish should be stored in a shallow layer surrounded by sufficient adequate ice and it should not be exposed to the sun as this can cause dehydration. Consumer tips by the Seafood Industry Development Company (2012) suggests that consumers follow the sensory guidelines when purchasing fresh fish and should pay close attention to overall cleanliness of the facility as well as the condition of the seafood which is supposed to be displayed on a thick bed of fresh ice and stored preferably in a case with some type of cover. Literature also suggests that unhygienic conditions, improper handling and storage of fresh fish can all result in fish borne illnesses. According to the Fisheries and Aquaculture Department (1995), fish borne illnesses include bacterial, viral, parasitic and toxi-infections, as well as intoxications which can be divided into microbial, biotoxins, and chemicals. One example of a biotoxin is scombrotoxin. Articles from Seafood Industry Development Company (2012) and the Food and Agriculture Organization and World Health Organization (2009), highlighted that scombrotoxin or histamines can be present in fresh fish which is not stored on ice or exposed to the sun. Such species include bonito, jacks, king fish, and marlin. Even though this condition may be rare, other fish borne illnesses such as the infections are very common and are mainly caused by contamination from the environment, the handlers, or even the water (Fisheries and Aquaculture Department 1995). Thus, as stated by Fisheries and Aquaculture Department 809004991 Consumer Awareness and Research Paper Purchasing Practices of Fresh Fish 16 (1995), fish borne illnesses can be controlled by protecting the fish from the exposure to the environment, water treatment, personal hygiene and education of the fish handlers. Previous studies conducted pertaining to consumer awareness on fresh fish implied that consumers tend to purchase seafood which is perceived of a good quality but they are unaware of how to assess the quality of fish. According to Brunso (2003), a study conducted in Denmark on 345 consumers of fresh fish showed that traditional fish eaters were unable to evaluate the quality of fish based on the odour and the appearance of the fish. However, consumers who were involved in fish, for example fishermen or fish handlers, were able to evaluate the odour and appearance of the fish. This previous study coincides with another study done on consumer perceptions about seafood during 2006. In this study by Hicks, Pivarnik and McDermott (2008) it was found that most of the respondents perceived the judgement of the freshness of seafood as difficult. Also, only 29% of the respondents perceived themselves as knowledgeable about seafood quality while 36% of the respondents indicated that they were knowledgeable on both safe seafood handling practices and seafood storage. Interestingly it should be noted that this study revealed that the seafood quality determines the purchasing decisions of 75% of the respondents while 69% of the respondents based their purchasing decisions on safe seafood handling practices and 65% on seafood storage. Hence, it is justified to say that consumers are unaware of the quality, storage and handling practices of fresh fish even though these factors may influence their purchasing decisions. Also, unawareness may be more prevalent in those consumers who do not take part in fish handling. 809004991 Consumer Awareness and Research Paper Purchasing Practices of Fresh Fish 17 Consumer Purchasing Behaviour Previous studies conducted on consumer purchasing behaviour of seafood have shown that the quality of fish influences the purchasing habits of consumers. A study conducted in Oman during the year of 2003 on the purchasing behaviour of consumers for seafood products showed that the majority (76%) of the consumers purchase from on-shore fish markets while a lesser percent of consumers purchase from supermarkets, fish shops and retailers (Al-Mazrooei, Chomo and Omezzine 2003). This study was also the only one to show a negative relationship between the purchasing of seafood from on-shore fish markets and the perceived quality of the fish. Those consumers who value the texture of the fish as important tend to buy from on- shore markets less. However, a similar study by Perishables Group (2010) conducted on 876 seafood consumers in Asia, 2010, showed that the majority (44%) of consumers also purchase seafood from the fish market but a positive relationship resides between the location and the perceived quality of the fish. It was found that food safety/cleanliness is the most important factor considered when choosing from that particular source. This was indicated by 36% of respondents, followed by freshness (29%), then family preferences and health and nutrition with 11%. Furthermore, in choosing the particular type of seafood, it was found that the freshness of seafood is the main factor that determines the type to purchase. This was indicated by 85% of the respondents followed by 63% of the respondents for the price factor, and then 52% who indicated the appearance or quality of the seafood. In support of this previous study, a more recent study conducted in 2011 by Mugaonkar, et al. (2011), showed that quality is the most important factor in choosing a product for 96.4% of the 809004991 Consumer Awareness and Research Paper Purchasing Practices of Fresh Fish 18 consumers as well as other factors such as the nutritional value and the price of the product. Ninety two percent of the respondents indicated that nutritional value of the product is most important while the price is the most important factor for 82.9% of the consumers when choosing a product. Thus, based on these studies, it can be postulated that consumers mainly purchase their fresh fish from local fish markets and the quality aspects which primarily influence their purchasing behaviour are the freshness of the fish as well as food safety and cleanliness of the surroundings. However, in addition to the quality of the fish, previous studies have also shown that the age of consumers may influence their place of purchase for seafood. A review of literature by Brunso (2003), showed that European consumers of unprocessed fish are mainly of the elderly group than younger people who mainly consume processed fish. Furthermore, consistent in findings, the same study conducted in India on consumer behaviour at organized fish retail outlets revealed that consumers who mainly consisted of young people. It was found that 65% of consumers between 25-30 years of age mainly purchase fish from retail outlets while as the age increase, the percentage of consumers decrease. Therefore, it can be deduced that younger people tend to purchase fish which is not fresh from supermarkets and retail outlets. Theoretical Framework The theoretical framework employed throughout the study will be the Total Food Quality Model. This model provides a common framework for the perception theories namely the means- end approach, the expectancy value approach, and the satisfaction/ dissatisfaction 809004991 Consumer Awareness and Research Paper Purchasing Practices of Fresh Fish 19 approaches (Grunert 2005). The Total Food Quality Model seeks to explain how consumers gain awareness on the quality attributes of fish. According to Brunso (2003), this model distinguishes quality perceptions before and after purchase evaluations. As demonstrated in figure 2, the quality perceptions made before are based on consumer’s ability to assess the specifications or characteristics of the product. However, as some of the characteristics of a product cannot be assessed before purchase, it may be assessed after consumption. Even in some cases the characteristic may not be able to be assessed at all and as stated by Brunso (2003), it may depend to a high degree on consumer’s trust in producers’ claims about the characteristic. Cues are used to aid in the assessment of the quality of the product and may also be motivators to consumers who consequently gather certain quality expectations of the product. If the expected purchase motive is fulfilled, this can influence consumer’s intention to buy the product. As explained by Brunso (2003), the intrinsic quality cues deals with the physical characteristics of the product while the extrinsic quality cues focus on the external characteristics of the product. In terms of fish, intrinsic quality cues include the sensory characteristics of the fish such as the appearance and odour which the extrinsic quality cues would include factors such as convenience, safety and cleanliness of the surroundings, and the age of the fish. 809004991 Consumer Awareness and Research Paper Purchasing Practices of Fresh Fish 20 Before Purchase: Formation of Quality Expectations After Purchase: Quality Experiences Figure 2 The Total Food Quality Model Cost Cues Experienced quality:  Sensory  Health  Convenience  Process Perceived cost cues Perceived costs Future purchases Experienced Purchase Motive Fulfilment Experienced Purchase Motive Fulfilment Extrinsic quality cues Perceived extrinsic quality cues Intention to buy Expected quality:  Sensory  Health  Convenience  Process Technical product specifications Intrinsic quality cues Perceived intrinsic quality cues Household production Consumption situation 809004991 Consumer Awareness and Research Paper Purchasing Practices of Fresh Fish 21 Therefore, the quality cues of this model will be applied to this current study to explain the reasons and motives for the choice of place of purchase for fresh fish based on the importance of the quality cues. Also, based on the previous literature presented in this review, it is evident that the perception of the intrinsic quality cue freshness mainly influences the place chosen to purchase fish, which for most consumers is the local fish market. However, literature also supports that consumers are unaware to assess this intrinsic quality cues of seafood. 809004991 Consumer Awareness and Research Paper Purchasing Practices of Fresh Fish 22 (3) Materials and Methodology Sampling Design: A cross- sectional survey was conducted during the month of March 2012 on consumer awareness and purchasing practices of fresh fish. The research done through convenience sampling included a sample size of 100 fresh fish consumers from two communities (50 consumers from each community). This sample size was obtained using a criterion with a margin of error of 5% and an estimated probability of fresh fish consumers of 0.85 out of the total fish consumers. Instrument: The research data was collected using a standard questionnaire. This questionnaire comprised of six close ended questions was pretested on a pilot sample involving 10 fresh fish consumers to ensure that the questions were clear, easy to answer and generated the responses the research desired. Modifications were then made to the wording of the questionnaire as some questions were not easily understood. The revised questionnaire is divided into three sections where each contains two questions. These sections include demographics, consumer purchasing behaviour assessment questions, and questions on consumer awareness of fresh fish characteristics. To distinguish between the locations as the questionnaire did not contained a location question, the questionnaires were numbered 1- 100 where questionnaires 1- 50 represented one community and questionnaires 51- 100 represented the other community. Data Collection: The data was collected from two areas in Trinidad; that is, a coastal rural area and an inland urban area. The coastal rural area chosen was Claxton Bay while the inland urban area was taken from along the East- West Corridor of Trinidad. However, this study only 809004991 Consumer Awareness and Research Paper Purchasing Practices of Fresh Fish 23 included the districts of Tunapuna, St. Augustine, and Curepe. This data was collected from fresh fish consumers in supermarkets, local markets, and by near-by street vendors of fresh fish on weekends. Questionnaires were distributed to some consumers by hand while in some needed cases the questionnaire was presented as a face to face interview. The face to face interview was used to generate the same information as the standard questionnaire and was mainly used as a means of convenience to consumers, and to aid those consumers who were either illiterate or unable to see the print. Data Analysis: The data collected was analyzed using SPSS software (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, version 12.0, SPSS Inc, Chicago, III USA) and charts were constructed in Microsoft Office Excel 2007. Frequencies were used to examine the demographics of the population. Pearson chi squares were used to analyse the consumer purchasing practices in relation to the demographics age, sex and location. Also, all scores were tabulated in Excel and then ANOVA was used to analyse consumer awareness of the assessment of fresh fish, certain fish borne illnesses, and perceived quality factors. In addition to this, the means of these scores were used to find the overall awareness. The statistical significance was set at p values of < 0.05. 809004991 Consumer Awareness and Research Paper Purchasing Practices of Fresh Fish 24 (4) Results The cross- sectional study included 100 customers of fresh fish. Table 1 shows the demographic characteristics of the population. Fifty percent (50%) of the respondents were from the inland part of Trinidad, that is, Curepe, St. Augustine, and Tunapuna, while the 50% were from the coastal region of Claxton Bay. Overall, the makeup of the population included more females (52%) to males (48%). The highest percentage (26%) of the population was between the 51-60 age group, followed by the 41-50 age group (24%), then the 31-40 (21%), and 21-30 (19%) age groups respectively. The 61-70 age group had the lowest percentage (10%) of the population study. Table 1 Frequency results of demographic characteristics of the respondents in the study (n=100) Demographic Categories Frequency Percent (%) 1. AGE (years): - 21-30 19 19 - 31-40 21 21 - 41-50 24 24 - 51-60 26 26 - 61-70 10 10 2. SEX: - Female 52 52 - Male 48 48 3. LOCATION: - Inland 50 50 - Coastal 50 50 809004991 Consumer Awareness and Research Paper Purchasing Practices of Fresh Fish 25 Results on consumers purchasing behaviour have shown, based on figure 3, that consumers (35%) mainly purchase unprocessed fish from the local fish market. Figure 3 also highlights that 19% of consumers of unprocessed fish purchase from the sea- side and mobile/ van vendors, followed by 17% of consumers who purchase from supermarket and then 10% from street vendors. Figure 3 Place of purchase of unprocessed fish by consumers (n =100) However, when the place of purchase of respondents was analysed with the demographic characteristics of the studied population, it was found that a relationship exists between some demographic characteristics and the place of purchase. Table 2 shows that age is related to purchases from the supermarket at the 1% level of association. Also at the 1% association level, sex is related to purchases from the street vendor as well as the mobile vendor, and at the 5% association level it is related to purchases from the local fish market. In terms of location, this is related to purchases from both the sea- side vendor and the mobile vendor at the 5% association level. 17% 10% 19% 19% 35% supermarket Street Vendor Sea- side Vendor Mobile/ Van Vendor Local Fish Market 809004991 Consumer Awareness and Research Paper Purchasing Practices of Fresh Fish 26 Table 2 Cross tabulation of the significance of demographic characteristics in relation to the place of purchase Values in bold indicate statistical association p < 0.05 In an attempt to examine this relationship, figures 4-6 show the trends observed. In figure 4, it is observed that a majority (12 out of 20) of the consumers who purchase unprocessed fish from the supermarket belongs to the 21- 30 age group while only one of the consumers above 50 years purchase from this source. In figure 5, it is observed that a majority (9 out of 11 and 26 out of 40 respectively) of the purchases of unprocessed fish from street vendors and the local fish market are done by females. However, 17 out of 22 of purchases from the sea- side vendors are by males. Finally, figure 6 shows that a majority (15 out of 22 for both) of the purchases from the sea-side vendor and the mobile vendors are from consumers in the coastal area of Claxton Bay. Pearson Chi-Square Value of Association for Place of Purchase AGE SEX LOCATION Supermarket 0.000 0.841 0.46 Street Vendor 0.232 0.002 0.338 Sea-Side Vendor 0.299 0.002 0.053 Mobile/ Van Vendor 0.072 0.216 0.053 Local Fish Market 0.278 0.034 0.221 809004991 Consumer Awareness and Research Paper Purchasing Practices of Fresh Fish 27 Figure 4 Consumers of unprocessed fish from the supermarket in relation to age (n= 20) Figure 5 Consumers of unprocessed fish from street vendors, seaside vendors, and the local fish market in relation to sex Figure 6 Consumers of unprocessed fish from sea- side vendors and mobile vendors in relation to location 0 5 10 15 21-30 31-40 41-50 51-60 61-70 12 3 4 1 0 supermarket Age / yrs 9 5 26 2 17 14 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 Street Vendor Sea- Side Vendor Local Fish Market Female Male 15 15 7 7 0 5 10 15 20 Sea- Side Vendor Mobile/ Van Vendor Coastal Inland 809004991 Consumer Awareness and Research Paper Purchasing Practices of Fresh Fish 28 The results of factors that influence customers’ decision in the place of purchase for unprocessed fish is shown in Table 3. This table shows that the freshness of fish is the most important factor for 31 out of 40 local fish market consumers. This is then followed by the convenience and proximity of the outlet (n=20); the price of the fish (n=18); the safety and cleanliness of the surroundings (n=13), and the type of fish sold by outlet (n=12). In comparison, this table also shows that convenience and proximity of the outlet is of most importance for 13 out of 20 supermarket consumers. This is followed by the freshness of the fish (n=9); the safety and cleanliness of the surroundings (n=8); the price of the fish (n=6); and the type of fish sold by the outlet (n=2). Table 3 Cross tabulation results of the importance of quality factors on local fish market and supermarket consumers Values are represented in the frequency of respondents from each location Local Fish Market Supermarket Quality factors Very Important Somewhat Important Least Important Very Important Somewhat Important Least Important Freshness 31 7 0 9 12 0 Safety & Cleanliness of Surroundings 13 10 14 8 11 2 Convenience & Proximity 20 14 3 13 7 1 Type of Fish 12 2 23 2 4 15 Price of the Fish 18 14 5 6 9 6 809004991 Consumer Awareness and Research Paper Purchasing Practices of Fresh Fish 29 In figure 7, 39 consumers purchase fresh fish 1-2 times per month, while 35 consumers purchase once or more per week, and 20 consumers 3-4 times per month. Only 6 consumers are seasonal purchasers of fresh fish. However, the frequency of purchase as it relates to the place of purchase shows that highest frequency (15 out of 40) of local fish market consumers and 13 out of 20 supermarket consumers, buy fresh fish 1-2 times per month. This figure also shows that the most frequent buyers of fresh fish buy from the local fish market (13 out of 40) and the seaside vendor (13 out of 22). Figure 7 The frequency of fresh fish purchases by consumers in relation to the place of purchase. The frequency of fresh fish purchases was analysed with the demographic characteristics of the studied population. Table 4 indicates that the age or the sex of the customers is not statistically related to the frequency of purchases at the 5% level of association but at the 10%, there was 0 5 10 15 Supermarket Street Vendor Sea- Side Vendor Mobile/ Van Vendor Local Fish Market 13 3 5 8 15 1 2 13 6 13 1 or more times per week 3-4 times per month 1-2 times per month Seasonal 809004991 Consumer Awareness and Research Paper Purchasing Practices of Fresh Fish 30 an association between sex and the frequency of purchases. However, the table indicates that the location of the consumers is related to their frequency of fresh fish purchases at the 5% level of association. Table 4 Cross tabulation results of the significance of demographic characteristics in relation to the frequency of fresh fish purchases Values in bold indicate statistical association p < 0.05 Figure 8 shows that consumers from the coastal region make up the majority (20 out of 39) who purchase fresh fish 1-2 times per month. Also, this figure shows that coastal region consumers are the most frequent buyers of fresh fish. This is indicated by the 19 out of 35 consumers from the coastal region who purchase fresh fish once or more times per week. Demographics Pearson Chi- Square Value of Association AGE 0.508 SEX 0.109 LOCATION 0.043 809004991 Consumer Awareness and Research Paper Purchasing Practices of Fresh Fish 31 Figure 8 Frequency of fresh fish purchases by consumers in relation to the location Table 5 shows the overall awareness of consumers on fresh fish quality and fish- borne illnesses which was scored out of 45 and 15 respectively. This table shows that there is high awareness of fresh fish quality where the mean awareness is 29.6 ± 10.013. However, there is a low awareness of fish- borne illnesses as the mean awareness of fish- borne illnesses is 1.84 ± 2.852. Table 5 Means results of awareness of consumers on fresh fish quality and fish- borne illnesses N Mean± SD Awareness of Fresh Fish Quality 100 29.6 ± 10.013 Awareness of Fish- borne Illnesses 100 1.84 ± 2.852 Awareness of Fresh Fish Quality scored out of 45 and Awareness of Fish borne Illnesses scored out of 15. 0 5 10 15 20 SEASONAL 1-2 TIMES PER MONTH 3-4 TIMES PER MONTH 1 OR MORE TIMES PER WEEK Fr e q u e n cy o f P u rc h as e 6 20 5 19 7 15 16 12 Inland Coastal 809004991 Consumer Awareness and Research Paper Purchasing Practices of Fresh Fish 32 When the awareness of fresh fish quality was analysed with the demographic characteristics of the population, using ANOVA, table 6 shows that sex is not statistically significant to the awareness of the consumers but age and location are related with a weak significance at the 10% level. However, a significant relationship was observed when supermarket purchases, sea- side purchases, and the frequency of purchases were analysed with the awareness. Supermarket purchases was significantly associated with the awareness of fresh fish quality (p<0.01); while association between awareness and both sea- side purchases and the frequency of purchases were significant at the 5% level. Table 6 ANOVA results of correlation between independent variables and the awareness of consumers on fresh fish quality Values in bold indicate statistical significance p < 0.05 Independent Variables F- value Significance 1. DEMOGRAPHICS: Age Sex Location 1.879 1.120 2.729 0.120 0.292 0.102 2. PLACE OF PURCHASE: Supermarket Street Vendor Sea- side Vendor Mobile/ Van Vendor Local Fish Market 13.618 0.423 4.436 0.68 2.542 0.000 0.517 0.038 0.795 0.114 3. FREQUENCY OF PURCHASE 3.738 0.014 809004991 Consumer Awareness and Research Paper Purchasing Practices of Fresh Fish 33 Table 7 examines the means of each independent factor which was at the 10% and 5% levels. This table shows that the awareness of fresh fish quality increases with age as the highest mean of awareness was among the 61-70 age group. Also, the highest mean awareness is found among those consumers from the coastal region of Trinidad. In relation to the place of purchase, this table shows that consumers who purchase from the supermarket are less aware of characteristics of fresh fish quality compared to others who do not purchase from this source. This is given by a mean awareness of 23 ± 9.375. However, based on this table, consumers who purchase from the sea- side vendors are more aware of the characteristics of fresh fish quality than those who do not purchase from this source. In addition, those consumers who purchase fresh fish the most (that is 1 or more times per week) are more aware than others who purchase less frequently. 809004991 Consumer Awareness and Research Paper Purchasing Practices of Fresh Fish 34 Table 7 ANOVA results of the significant independent variables and awareness of consumers Independent Variables N MEAN Std. D 1. Age - 21-30 19 24.74 9.048 - 31-40 21 29.76 11.009 - 41-50 24 31.88 10.088 - 51-60 26 31.00 8.944 - 61-70 10 33.00 10.328 2. Location - Coastal 50 31.60 9.712 - Inland 50 28.32 10.137 3. PLACE OF PURCHASE: Supermarket - Purchase from source 20 23.00 9.375 - Do not purchase from source 80 31.70 9.443 Sea- side Vendor - Purchase from source 22 33.86 9.33 - Do not purchase from source 78 28.86 9.967 4. FREQUENCY OF PURCHASE: - Seasonal 13 29.62 10.096 - 1-2 times per month 35 26.25 11.590 - 3-4 times per month 21 30.00 7.416 - 1 or more times per week 31 34.23 8.160 809004991 Consumer Awareness and Research Paper Purchasing Practices of Fresh Fish 35 (5) Discussion The study’s findings suggest that the awareness of fresh fish quality coincides to their purchasing practices even though it was unable to show a relationship between the main place of purchase for many and their awareness. The main place of purchase for fresh fish consumers which mainly consist of women is within the local fish markets and their reasons are mainly based on the quality attribute- freshness. This observation was consistent with pervious literature which indicated that a majority of the consumers purchase from the fish markets (Perishables Group 2010) and the most important factor is its quality (Mugaonkar, et al. 2011) which is characterized by the freshness of the fish. Based on the theoretical framework employed, this observation shows that consumers who purchase from the local fish market, probably use their perception of the instrinic quality cues of the fresh fish in their decided intention to buy. These intstrinic quality cues or sensory characteristics used to detect the actual freshness of fish may vary from one consumer to another as each specification may be valued differently. The value of each specification of fish may be based on the fulfilment of personal experiences with the fish to evoke the sense of satisfaction. Once this satistifaction is fulfilled, those factors that were of little value may be disregarded and may not be associated with the individual’s assessment of the quality characteristics of fish. Additionally, some may not even know how to detect the sensory characteristics of fish but associate the freshness of the fish with a particular vendor. Thus, these factors could be the possible reasons as to why the awareness of the consumers on the characteristics of fresh fish is not related to purchases from local fish markets. 809004991 Consumer Awareness and Research Paper Purchasing Practices of Fresh Fish 36 However, this study also showed that consumers from the younger age groups tend to mainly purchase fresh fish from supermarket and their main purchasing motivator is the convenience of the outlet. This behaviour observed can also be explained by the theoretical framework employed in the study. It is evident that consumers who purchase from this outlet value convenience as the main factor which influence their intentions to buy while the freshness is a secondary factor. Unlike a study conducted by Hicks, Pivarnik and McDermott (2008), this study was able to prove that consumers overall are aware of the characteristics of fresh fish quality. That previous study was based on indivduals’ perceptions of their awareness to detect the seafood quality and the population included respondants who do not purchase seafood. Thus, it is quite possible that those who actually purchase fish may perceive themselves as being aware of seafood quality. It was observed that overall, consumers are aware of the characteristics of fresh fish quality. This observation was not consistent with pervious literature from Hicks, Pivarnik and McDermott (2008) who conducted an online survey and showed that respondants percieve themselves as unaware of seafood quality. However, this current study showed that a relationship exists between the age of fresh fish consumers and their awareness of the characteristics of fresh fish quality. It was observed that as the consumers increase in age so does their awareness. This observation was duly noted in light of the fact that a majority of the younger fresh fish consumers purchase from the supermarket. This study suggest that consumers of younger age groups who tend to buy fresh fish from the supermarket are less aware of the characteristics of fresh fish than 809004991 Consumer Awareness and Research Paper Purchasing Practices of Fresh Fish 37 others who do not purchase from this source. Thus, consumers of fresh fish from the supermarket may be widely deceived into thinking or may even percieve that they are buying ‘fresh fish’ because they seem to have limited knowledge about detecting the true attritbutes of fresh fish. Also, younger consumers who purchase at the supermarket may have less awareness of quality charactistics of fresh fish due to the fact that they purchase fresh fish less frequently to compared to others with a greater awareness. This study shows that a majority of the younger individuals who purchase at the supermarket have a purchasing pattern of 1-2 times per month while a majority of those who purchase at sea- side vendors, purchase once or more times a week and have a greater awareness of the quality charateristics of fresh fish. This observation is contrary to that reported by Brunso (2003), in a study conducted in Denmark showing that traditional fish eaters were unaware of how to evaluate the characteristics of fresh fish. However, the current study focused on both frequent purchasing as well as frequent consumption and this might increase one’s ability to assess the charateristics of fresh fish. Like age, trends were also found between the awareness of consumers on the characteristics of fresh fish and their location. This research suggests that fresh fish consumers from the coastal region of Claxtons Bay are more aware than the consumers from inland region of the East- West Coridor. This variant in awareness may be prevalent due to the fact that the chosen coastal area of study is a well established fishing community that is made up fishermen and families of fishermen. Thus, this major factor can influence their general knowledge of fish. This rational is supported by literature in Brunso (2003) 809004991 Consumer Awareness and Research Paper Purchasing Practices of Fresh Fish 38 who showed in the same study in Denmark that consumers in who are involved with fish handling are more aware of the evaluation of fresh fish. This study also suggest that those from the coastal region who are more aware of the quality characteristics of fresh fish, purchase more frequently than inland consumers and they mainly purchase from sea- side vendors. These consumers probably purchase fresh fish from the sea- side vendors as they perceive fish from this source to have the best quality of freshness since the fish is sold on the same day of capture. Interestingly, this study shows that a majority of the consumers who purchase from the sea-side vendors are males. This is probably because the fishing and “fisherman” environment and surroundings is more appealing to a gathering of men than to women. In the comparison of locations, it is also found that consumers in the coastal region purchase more from the mobile vendors than consumers from the inland region. In the coastal region, there may be a higher amount of mobile vendors in this community as many mobile vendors may not want to travel such a far distance inland with fresh fish as it is considered a highly perishable food. Thus, this can be the possible reason for the observation made. With respect to fish-borne illnesses, this study suggests that consumers are unaware of fish- borne illnesses such as mercury, histamine, and ciguatera poisoning. However, this may be a source of error by the research design as limited questions were used to examine consumer awareness of fish- borne illness since the survey contact time of the consumers was carefully considered. 809004991 Consumer Awareness and Research Paper Purchasing Practices of Fresh Fish 39 Other limitations of the study included time constraints and the logistics of the study. These factors could have impacted on the observed results, as they caused the study to be limited to two locations that were easily accessible to the researcher. 809004991 Consumer Awareness and Research Paper Purchasing Practices of Fresh Fish 40 (6) Conclusion Based on this study, it is evident that the consumer awareness on the quality characteristics of fresh fish coincides with the purchasing practices. Consumers, who are highly aware, purchase from sea- side vendors and their purchasing pattern is more frequent than others. On the other hand, those consumers who are less aware purchase from the supermarket and their purchasing pattern is less frequent than highly aware consumers. 809004991 Consumer Awareness and Research Paper Purchasing Practices of Fresh Fish 41 (7) Recommendations As this research was able to show that some consumers are not fully aware of the quality attributes of fresh fish, it is recommended that government should educatethe public of such through town hall meetings or workshops; flyers or other reading material; or even through media broadcast programmes. It is widely observed that government have offered their assistance in educating fish handlers such as fishermen and market vendors on the popular fish handling procedures. However, if this education is extended to the public, consumers will be able to apply this knowledge to their purchasing practices. Furthermore, as this research paper was unable to truly detect the consumer awareness on fish- borne illnesses, it is suggested that studies be done in this area. Further studies can also focus on application of the knowledge of fish fresh by handlers as it was observed throughout this study that fishermen and fish market vendors are knowledgeable of the procedure of fresh fish handling but many do not always apply this knowledge. 809004991 Consumer Awareness and Research Paper Purchasing Practices of Fresh Fish 42 (8) References Al-Mazrooei, N., G.V. Chomo, and A. Omezzine. "Purchase Behavior of Consumers for Seafood Products." Agricultural and Marine Sciences, 2003: 8(1):1-10. Brody, Robert W. Fish Poisoning of the Eastern Caribbean. St. Thomas: Caribbean Research Institute. Brunso, K. "Consumer research on fish in Europe." In Quality of Fish from Catch to Consumer, by J. B. Luten, J. Oehlenschläger and G. Ólafsdóttir, 335- 343. Netherlands: Wageningen Academics, 2003. Business Dictionary. BusinessDictionary.com. 2012. http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/consumer-buying-behavior.html (accessed March 13, 2012). —. BusinessDictionary.com. 2012. http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/perception.html (accessed April 6, 2012). Denton, W. "Fish quality labelling and monitoring: Getting it right at the start." In Quality of Fish from Catch to Consumer, by J. B. luten, J. Oehlenschläger and G. Ólafsdóttir, 101- 111. Netherlands: Wageningen Academics, 2003. "General Considerations for the Handling of Fresh Fish, Shellfish and other Aquatic Invertebrates." In Codex Alimentarus , Code of Practice for Fish and Fishery Products, 1st Ed, by FAO and WHO, 20-21. Rome: FAO, 2009. FDA. "Quality of fish and fish products." Fisheries and Aquaculture Department. 2012. http://www.fao.org/fishery/topic/1521/en (accessed 03 02, 2012). Finest at sea. Fresh vs. frozen. 2005. http://www.finestatsea.com/fresh_vs_frozen.html (accessed March 12, 2012). Fisheries and Aquaculture Department. Quality and changes in fresh fish. Denmark: FAO Corporate Denmark repository, 1995. Grunert, Klaus G. "Food quality and safety: Consumer perception and demand." European Review of Agricultural Economics , 2005: 32 (3): 369-391. Hicks, Doris, Lori Pivarnik, and Ryan McDermott. "Consumer perceptions about seafood – an Internet survey." Journal of Foodservice,, 2008: 213–226. 809004991 Consumer Awareness and Research Paper Purchasing Practices of Fresh Fish 43 Investor Words. InvestorWords.com. 2012. http://www.investorwords.com/1055/consumer.html (accessed March 13, 2012). Köse, Sevim. "Evaluation of Seafood Safety Health Hazards for Traditional Fish Products:Preventive Measures and Monitoring Issues." Turkish Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, 2010: 10: 139-160. Macmillan . Macmillan dictionary. 2009. http://www.macmillandictionary.com/dictionary/british/awareness (accessed March 13, 2012). Ministry of Legal Affairs. "Country Markets Act, Chapter 68:02." Laws of Trinidad and Tobago Ministry of Legal Affairs. January 01, 2009. http://rgd.legalaffairs.gov.tt/Laws2/Alphabetical_List/lawspdfs/68.02.pdf (accessed February 01, 2012). Mugaonkar, Pankajkumar Hanmantrao, P.S. Ananthan, Suman Sekhar Samal, and Biswajit Debnath. "A Study on Consumer Behaviour at Organized Fish Retail Outlet." Agricultural Economics Research Review, 2011: 12:133-140. Perishables Group. "Consumer Survey Results, Seafood Purchase Behaviors and Preferences." Perishable Group. September 08, 2010. www.perishablesgroup.com. Seafood Industry Development Company . "Consumer tips." Fishin Newsletter of the Seafood Industry of Trinidad and Tobago. Port-of- Spain: Seafood Industry Development Company Limited, January 2012. Wedemeyer, Gary A. "Gale Encyclopedia of Food and Culture: Freshwater Fish." Answers.com. 2003. http://www.answers.com/topic/freshwater (accessed March 07, 2012). 809004991 Consumer Awareness and Research Paper Purchasing Practices of Fresh Fish 44 (9) Appendices APPENDIX # 1: Draft Questionnaire The University of the West Indies Student Final Year Research Project Questionnaire on CONSUMER AWARENESS AND PURCHASING PRACTICES OF FRESH FISH 1) Sex: Male Female 2) Age: 21-30 31- 40 41-50 51- 60 61-70 71-80 3) For EACH of the listed vending locations, indicate on a scale of 1 to 3, the importance of each factor in determining your purchase of fresh, unprocessed fish from that place? Key: ①Least important ② Somewhat important ③ Very important ⃝ I do not purchase fish from that place (N/A) Questionnaire #: 809004991 Consumer Awareness and Research Paper Purchasing Practices of Fresh Fish 45 Please shade the option of your choice in the space provided. Place of Purchase Freshness Safety & Cleanliness Convenience & Proximity Type of Fish Price of the Fish N/A i. Supermarket ① ② ③ ① ② ③ ① ② ③ ① ② ③ ① ② ③ ⃝ ii. Street Vendor ① ② ③ ① ② ③ ① ② ③ ① ② ③ ① ② ③ ⃝ iii. Sea- side Vendor ① ② ③ ① ② ③ ① ② ③ ① ② ③ ① ② ③ ⃝ iv. Mobile/ Van Vendor ① ② ③ ① ② ③ ① ② ③ ① ② ③ ① ② ③ ⃝ v. Local Fish Market ① ② ③ ① ② ③ ① ② ③ ① ② ③ ① ② ③ ⃝ vi. Other ① ② ③ ① ② ③ ① ② ③ ① ② ③ ① ② ③ ⃝ Please tick [√ ] the option of your choice in the box provided. 4) How often do you purchase FRESH fish? Seasonal 1-2 times per month 3-4 times per month 1 or more times per week 5) How can you decide if fish is fresh based on each of the following factors? a. EYES: Clear Pale Not sure b. SKIN: Bright or shiny Soft and dull Not sure c. SMELL: Fishy Seaweed Not sure d. GILLS: Red Brown Not sure e. TEXTURE: Soft Stiff Not sure 809004991 Consumer Awareness and Research Paper Purchasing Practices of Fresh Fish 46 f. EXPOSURE TO FRESH AIR FOR LENGTHY TIMES: Exposed Not exposed Not sure g. STORAGE CONDITION: Unfrozen before sale Frozen before sale Not sure h. STORAGE until sale: On clean and sufficient ice On salt Not sure i. DATE OF CAPTURE TO PURCHASE DATE: Within 15 days Within 10 days Not sure 6) Rank your level of awareness for each of the following Fish-borne conditions: Fish borne Illnesses Very Much Aware Moderately Aware Not Aware a. Ciguatera Poisoning b. Histamine/ Scombroid Poisoning c. Mercury Poisoning