Australian salmon consumption growth rate slow, Roy Morgan Research

Posted by AFN Staff Writers on 13th July 2016

Weekly salmon consumption by Australians has only grown by one per cent over the past two years says Roy Morgan Research.

According to a new study, since 2014, Australians who eat salmon each week has only increased from 24 per cent of the population to 25 per cent. This equates to just 300, 000 more people.

Across the two-year period, Victorians have started eating the most salmon with 26 per cent of the state’s population eating the fish weekly in 2016 compared to 23 per cent in 2014.

Queenslanders are also eating more salmon with figures jumping from 22 per cent to 24 per cent in the two years.

New South Wales eats the most salmon with 28 per cent of the state treating themselves to the fish at least once a week. This is one per cent more of its population than in 2014.

Weekly salmon consumption has declined in South Australia, dropping from 21 per cent to 18 per cent and in Tasmania which has gone from 27 per cent to 23 per cent.

Industry Communications Director at Roy Morgan Research, Norman Morris, described the decline of salmon consumption in Tasmania as puzzling.

“The decline of salmon consumption in Tasmania is puzzling, given the state’s thriving aquaculture industry (not to mention the widespread – if gradual – upward trend elsewhere). More research is required to identify the reason for this,” Morris said.

Salmon consumption by state: 2014 vs 2016

Graph 1

Source: Roy Morgan Single Source (Australia), April 2013-March 2014 (n=17,773) and April 2015-March 2016 (n=15,074). Base: Australians 14+

Australians aged 50 and older are far more likely to eat salmon than younger Aussies. Consumption rates amongst 50-64 year olds have increased whilst they have dropped in 14-17 year olds and 35 – 49 year olds.

Australian foodies love their salmon with almost a third of the population who are described by Roy Morgan Research as ‘Trendsetters’ or ‘Entertainers’ eating salmon weekly. Those described as fitting into ‘Zap-It’ or ‘Take It Away’ segments were far less likely to eat salmon regularly.