Sustainable seafood consumption trends in the EU and recommendations for Vietnamese enterprises

This study analyzes sustainable seafood consumption trends in the European Union during the post-COVID-19 period using a supply - demand framework. On the supply side, the EU has tightened market-access requirements through mandatory regulations on food safety, illegal fishing control, residue monitoring, labeling, and traceability. Voluntary sustainability certifications have also increasingly become de facto shelf-access conditions in modern retail chains. On the demand side, price remains the leading purchasing criterion, while environmental and ethical considerations rank lowest, despite more than half of consumers reporting a willingness to pay more for sustainable products. Certified seafood nevertheless continues to grow against the broader market trend. The study identifies a notable gap between institutional pressure on suppliers and consumers’ actual purchasing priorities and proposes recommendations to help Vietnamese seafood enterprises improve compliance, certification, traceability, market positioning, and long-term competitiveness in the EU.