Reasons For Low Fish Consumption In Australia: An Investigation Using The Theory Of Planned Behaviour

Explain potential reasons or barriers that stop people from buying fish

Reasons for Low Fish Consumption in Australia

There have been substantial researches that concern the motives and barrier of consumers in determining the consumption of seafood and found that compared to other countries the consumption of seafood or fish is comparatively low in the Australian Territory. Therefore, it is pertinent to understand the reason that is inhibiting the consumption of fish in Australia that will help to enhance or reduce seafood or fish offerings by various eateries for the purpose of consumption through improvement of quality [1]. The knowledge will also provide assistance to the government of Australia and other health educators for effectively undertaking campaigns that will encourage people to increase their seafood or fish consumption.  The consumption, purchase and preparation of food by most of the Australian consumers depend on the convenience factor. The reasons for low seafood consumption in Australia can be a result of the socio cultural changes that are taking place recently. One of the reasons includes an increased number of women in the workforce who initially has been responsible for handling the kitchen. These women now opt for easier and less time-consuming options for feeding themselves and their families [2]. Then there has been a change in the composition of the household where families have split into nuclear groups that could be the reason for low seafood or fish consumptions. With globalization, there has been increasing in the disposable income of the people that has led to an increased demand for meal options that are partially prepared as they provide easy, quick and simple options. Moreover, people do not want to dedicate the time and effort that is required for any seafood or fish preparation.

The potential reasons that stop people from buying seafood or fish can be lack of supply of fresh fish and inconsistent quality [3]. There are even people who dislike the taste of seafood or fish. Research has however found that the price of seafood or fish, smell of fish while cooking and the lack of satiation compared to meat have been the major reasons that stop people from buying fish. Sometimes people also perceive that fish prices may be high and therefore they do not opt for such option [4]. Other factors come into play in determining the low consumption of fish. Sometimes the experience and familiarity that a person holds with a product category drive the decision while purchasing.  In fact, this acts in predicting strongly the futuristic purchase intentions of the people. Consumers also find in difficulty in not only cooking and preparation of seafood but also in evaluation and selection of the product. There has also been the availability of a number of food alternatives that had lead to lower consumption of seafood. However, options of making pre packaged seafood have been thought to be made available but without the guarantee of its acceptance.  

Description of Theory of Planned Behaviour Model and Reason for People Buying or Avoiding Fish for Each Part of the model

The Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) initially known as the Theory of Reasoned Action came into existence in the year 1980 for the prediction of intention of the individuals for engaging in a behaviour that is time and places specifically [5]. The intention of the theory was to explain all the behaviours of human beings over which they have self-control. The key factor of the model defined by behavioural intent where the behavioural intentions are a result of three determinants that include individual attitude towards behaviour perceived behavioural control  

TPB successfully used for prediction and explanation of a varied range of intentions and health behaviours of human beings that include drinking, smoking, utilisation of health services, substance use and breastfeeding. According to the theory, behavioural achievement is dependent on an ability that means behavioural control and motivation that is the intention. The theory helps in distinguishing three types of beliefs that are normative, behavioural and control. A person’s actual control over behaviour ensured through a collective understanding of the six constructs that the theory comprises [6].

Attitudes:

Attitude referred as the degree to which a person has the evaluation of unfavourable and favourable evaluation of the behavioural interest. This entails consideration of outcomes of a performance of the behaviour.

Subjective Norm:

The subjective norm refers to the belief whether maximum people disapprove or approve of a particular behaviour. This relates to the beliefs of the person about what his their peers and people of importance think about his choice of behaviour that the person is planning to engage in.

Behavioural Intention:

Behavioural Intention defined by the motivational factors that are responsible for influencing a given behaviour. The stronger the intention in performing the behaviour the more chances of the performance of the behaviour increases.

 Social Norm:

Social norms refer to customary behaviour codes that exist in either people or a group or larger cultural context. These norms considered standard or normative when the group of people is considered.

Perceived Behavioural Control

This refers to the perception of a person in determining the degree of performance of the behaviour of interest. The perceived behavioural control tends to vary across action and situation that result in a person having varied perceptions on behavioural control according to a situation.

Perceived Power:

The perceived presence of the factors that are responsible for facilitating or impeding the performance of a particular behaviour referred to perceived power. This contributes to perceived behavioural control of a person on the factors.

Research Aim

The idea that beliefs determine the foundation of individuals attitudes that can be explained by the expectancy value model according to which behavioural beliefs are formed through association of behavioural performance to outcomes. For instance, if one tries to understand the behaviour of the people buying or avoiding fish in this context it can be said that buying fish is the behaviour that results in the outcome of time-consuming cooking procedures, dealing with smell and having to opt out of pre cooked food available in the market. However, now if the behaviour of buying fish is concerned then it is the behaviour which is leading to outcomes where people can spend less time in cooking and have access to more varieties of pre cooked food. 

The research here deals with the reasons for low consumption of fish in Australia. There is also an explanation of the potential reasons responsible for stopping people from buying fish.  There is also a description of the theory of planned behaviour in determining the fish buying or avoidance of the people. The research also deals with the interviews conducted on 10 respondents and based on which a questionnaire is prepared. The research also deals with results written in a concise manner. There is also a discussion on the fact and a self-reflection.

Explaining the process of interview

The researcher conducted interviews with the students of the university regarding Australian food habits. In this interview, the researcher arranged one is to one session with the respondents. The researcher asked the university management before conducting interview session and then planned the interview with the respondents. Interviews conducted face-to-face with the respondents and it gave benefits to understand the facial expression of the respondents.

Explaining the process of recruiting the participants and describe them in enough detail to replicate

The researcher took permission from the university to conduct the interview with the students; however, the researcher targeted 15 students initially to ask them about the food habit regarding fish. The researcher used the sampling strategy of probability sampling and used the random selection. Initially, the researcher approached 15 students, however, 10 of them agreed to provide answers to the interview questions. The researcher took the e-mail contacts of the respondents and described them about the research process. Participants agreed with the interview ethics that they would give the answers confidently. The researcher made understand the process of interview to the respondents and asked them to provide answers of these.

Questionnaire

The first set is based on belief questions:

I believe it totally = 4

I believe it very much= 3

I believe it moderately= 2

I believe it slightly= 1

I don’t believe it at all= 0

Questionnaire:

1. Australians do not eat fish regularly
2. Australians do not eat fish because fish is scarce in Australia
3. Australians eat fish items in restaurants rather at home
4. Young generations like eating outside rather millennial
5. Eating fish is healthy
6. Australian don’t eat local fish and they eat imported fish much
7. Eating fish is safe
8. I am satisfied with the menu that has fish within it
9. Australians do not like fish for the difficulty of getting them much in the local market
10. My family members buy fish to prepare nutritious food
11. I buy fish to prepare a wide range of food for my family
12. Australians are more conscious about food budget

Evaluation questionnaire:

Options are

• Strongly agree
• Agree
• Neutral
• Disagree
• Strongly agree

1. How far do you agree that Australians’ favourite food is Atlantic Salmon?
2. How far do you agree that fishermen struggle to create interest among the consumers about fish?
3. How far do you agree that the young Australians generation like seafood more than fish?
4. How far do you agree that in Australia, the huge variety of fish is available?
5. Do you agree with the fact that fish are costlier in Australia than other countries?
6. Do you agree with the fact that Australians cook lesser known food items of fish?
7. How far do you agree that Australian consumed more imported food that comes from overseas?
8. How far do you agree that Australians like frozen fish rather than fresh fish?
9. How far do you agree that Australians like fish, however, fisheries are not interested to catch fish?
10. Do you agree with the fact that Australians have any superstition regarding eating of fish?
11. Do you agree with the concept of ill-health regarding Australians eating of fish?
12. How far do you agree that seafood processing is famous in Australia?

Australians eat fish items more than fresh fish at home as it is seen in the interview responses. Australians like to eat Salmon and Tuna that are prepared with spices. It is found with the different socio-economic condition can contribute the food choices of the respondents. Most of the variables are price, family members, age, education, sex and preferences.

During interviews, respondents gave answers:

In asking about fishermen’s responsibility in creating the stimuli to the respondents:

Options	Number of respondents	Response percentage (%)	Total respondents
Strongly agree	2	20%	10
Agree	5	50%	10
Neutral	1	10%	10
Disagree	3	30%	10
Strongly disagree	0	0%	10

 Young Australians generation like more seafood than fish:

Options	Number of respondents	Response percentage	Total respondents
Strongly agree	5	50%	10
Agree	3	30%	10
Neutral	1	10%	10
Disagree	1	10%	10
Strongly disagree	0	0%	10

Most importantly, dietary factor works in eating habit of the young Australian generation. Fishermen catch fish; however, Australians buy fish that are imported from overseas. Fishermen of Australia also do seafood processing and export it to other countries. It is clear that like other Asian countries, Australians prefer to fish with various items. Apart from this, Australians like more seafood than fish.

Australians eat fish items more than fresh fish at home as it is seen in the interview responses. Australians like to eat Salmon and Tuna that are prepared with spices. Most importantly, dietary factor works in eating habit of the young Australian generation. Fishermen catch fish; however, Australians buy fish that are imported from overseas. Fishermen of Australia also do seafood processing and export it to other countries. It is clear that like other Asian countries, Australians prefer to fish with various items [8]. Apart from this, Australians like more seafood than fish. Distinctive factors past sensorial qualities impact shopper sustenance decisions, and the explanation of these variables would add to a superior comprehension of dietary conduct among them, just to recognise a couple, we may specify past encounters and well-being concerns identified with fish utilisation. It is conceivable that the individuals who right now at fish related past encounter more decidedly than the individuals who don’t a higher fish-eating aim and, along these lines, utilisation recurrence.

Among different elements, we ought to mention which features the parts of value/freshness, value, taste, solid decisions and family inclinations, while considering the impacts of taste, accommodation and financial requirements on nourishment decisions. In such manner, the ID of the essential elements considered by fish customers would take into consideration setting up connections between the recurrence of fish-eating buy conduct and demeanours regarding clarifying the aim and recurrence of eating fish. A wide range of models, which consider unique and frequently interrelated variables, have been proposed to clarify buyer conduct towards fish. The Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) is a standout amongst the fluctuation of conduct. Given that fish speak to a vital wellspring of protein and different supplements it is basic to comprehend the vital variables driving water-front Peruvian fish customer practices, for example, goal and utilisation recurrence [9]. Consequently, the essential target of this examination is to research purchaser conduct in Australia utilising the TPB (Theory of Planned Behaviour) as a theoretical structure.

The TPB evaluates conduct as a composite of three builds: attitude, subjective norms and perceived behavioural control. The TPB was picked as the hypothetical structure by a few connected examinations For example; this hypothesis has been widely and effectively connected to buyer practices. Wellbeing practices, sustenance decisions and the change in fish consumption conduct in nations with a high utilisation of fish. An investigation in light of the TPB connected in Brazil, a creating nation, approved the hypothetical model [10]. As per the most recent investigations on nourishment related issues, item constitution is one of the key factors in customer discernments). Further, shoppers’ enthusiasm for good dieting was appeared to emphatically impact fish consumption conduct, which affirms past examinations found that the relationship between the convictions that consuming of fish is sound and fish utilisation recurrence was weaker than what is expected from European purchasers. Contended that the speculation of the connection between the convictions that fish is solid would compare to more elevated amounts of fish utilisation was to a great extent unsupported.

This result demonstrated that the conviction that fish is sound was not noteworthy as an indicator of the goal to eat fish which proposes that Modern Metropolitan Australia, fish customers are not worried by fish solid traits [11]. The absence of a measurable huge connection between well-being contribution and fish utilisation recurrence was likewise confirmed by expressed that as a result of the way that all purchasers concur that fish is solid, the apparent well-being esteem related with fish items does not appear to clarify the variety in fish consumption. Also, a few people who are persuaded to adhering to a good diet pick chicken and other dietary sustenance as contrasting options to fish. Investigations demonstrate that determinants as estimated by the hypothesis of arranged conduct (TPB) and individual attributes impact fish utilisation goal and recurrence. Ideal demeanour, high subjective standard and high saw behavioural control positively affect fish utilisation choices [12]. Critical propensity impacts are distinguished while including propensity as a different regressed of behavioural aim and conduct.

Valuation for the quality taste develops as the most vital driver for eating fish, took after nearly by well-being, which is that as it may, does not straightforwardly lessen behavioural expectation. Singular determinants relate to sexual orientation, age, youngsters, wage, instruction level and locale. Fish utilisation recurrence in consistency with well-being suggestions is higher among ladies and increments with expanding age, while the nearness of kids in the family unit prompts brings down fish utilisation [13]. The most minimal wage class has the least fish utilisation recurrence. Advanced education brings about a higher expectation to eat angle yet has no impact on the utilisation recurrence itself. The beach front locale of West Flanders is the area with the most noteworthy utilisation. Nourishment association connects decidedly with angle utilization goal and recurrence, though no noteworthy effect of sustenance well-being mindfulness is found. In Australia, in order to stimulate the habit of eating fish, it is needed to produce high quality of food that must be suited to the consumers’ need.

Socioeconomic characteristics have an important relation to the consumption of food in the Australian citizens. However, the comparison of data of the respondents posed significant limitation while conducting the study. However, the research topic is about behaviour of the Australian citizens and it is the choices of people. So, the behavioural significance and health factors have quite important characteristics in this study. I faced issue while framing the questions as it was important that the questions should match the choices of planned behaviour and these must create enthusiasm among participants. I faced challenges in finding the right respondents for the interviews and TBS has helped to find out the fish consumption frequency of the participants.

References

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