Survey reveals fishermen, consumers wary of ALPS treated water discharge

A new survey conducted by Tabe Choku, a direct-to-consumer online marketplace, delves into the mounting concerns of both consumers and fishermen over the release of ALPS treated water into the ocean. The findings indicate that over 60% of consumers worry about “reputation damage to fishermen,” while a similar percentage of fishermen are apprehensive about potential declines in sales.

According to the consumer survey, 37.7% stated they had “no concerns” regarding the impact of ALPS treated water discharge on food quality. When questioned further, nearly 60% cited “reputation damage to fishermen” as their main concern, surpassing the 41.1% who cited “food safety.”

Additionally, 48.9% of consumers claim that the treated water discharge “has not influenced their purchasing behavior.” However, among those who acknowledged a change, 27.9% are “actively reading news articles related to food safety,” and another 25.9% have started “checking detailed product information more rigorously.”

A significant 84.4% of respondents claimed they were “well-informed or somewhat informed” about the ALPS treated water issue. When asked about the type of information they sought, a majority (74.1%) wanted “data and information about safety,” followed by 35.1% who sought “information about the production regions.”

Turning the focus to fishermen, 8.6% of respondents within this group admitted to already being impacted by the ALPS treated water release and China’s import restrictions. Another 57.1% foresaw potential adverse effects in the near future. Of these, 65.2% identified “price drops due to China’s import restrictions” as a significant concern, slightly overtaking the 47.8% who cited “consumer hesitancy due to reputation damage.”

Regarding anticipated sales impact, 8.7% of fishermen predicted a 30-49% decline in sales compared to last year, while an equal percentage forecasted a decline of over 50%.

These results underscore the urgency for transparent communication from authorities, as both consumers and fishermen navigate an increasingly complex landscape.