Information, altruism, and the value of traceability in seafood

Unsustainable fishing practices pose a significant threat to global seafood sustainability, yet the implementation of effective traceability systems remains limited. One potential approach to address this challenge is demand-side intervention through information provision, which can increase the value of traceable seafood. However, given the multidimensional nature of seafood traceability, it remains unclear which functions consumers value most. We conduct an in-person choice experiment in Japan, a major seafood-consuming country, to estimate consumers’ marginal willingness to pay (MWTP) for traceability. Participants were randomly assigned to four groups, each receiving information emphasizing a different function of traceability: food safety, resource conservation, human rights issues, and the prevention of origin mislabeling. To examine heterogeneity in responses, we measure consumer altruism using a dictator game. The results show that information emphasizing human rights issues generates the highest MWTP on average. However, non-altruistic individuals respond more strongly to information highlighting the prevention of mislabeling. Furthermore, we find that information provision alters the relationship between quality and traceability, shifting it from substitutive to complementary. These findings suggest that the effectiveness of traceability systems can be enhanced by aligning information strategies with consumer preferences, particularly by emphasizing social and ethical dimensions depending on product and consumer context.