Files
Abstract
In the developed countries, especially in the European Union, demand for seafood
products has increased very quickly (faster than that of meat products). This growth
may be explained by the recurring problems of animal health impacts on other
products (bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), avian influenza (bird flu)...) and to
the impacts of the environmental problems (dioxins...) which are less prevalent in
seafood products. In addition, seafood products profit from an increasingly positive
image positioned on the axis of nutrition- health.
The enhancement of the markets is influenced more and more by the retailing
channel (hyper and supermarkets). Indeed, France profits from being a pioneer in
retailing, (more than 70% of the seafood market is through retailers) who can be seen
as axis of development with other sectors and in other countries.
To satisfy the demand, the national platforms of the retailers rely upon imported
products to supplement their supplies from local fishermen and fish farmers. These
local actors must adapt to the constraints imposed by the platforms, which
constitutes a major innovation in the contractual relationship with the hyper and
supermarket stores. The international context weighs heavily in the determination of
these constraints.
This paper deals with this framework of the new forms of contractualisation between
the actors imposed by the evolution of the international context. It also describes the
implications in term of setting in market and marketing strategies. Lastly, it takes into
account the emergence characteristics of new food buying behaviours.