America’s Seafood Consumption Experiences Decline

According to data recently released from the National Fisheries Institute, seafood consumption among Americans has continuously declined throughout the last seven years. The trade group reports that in 2012 US residents ate an average of 14.6 pounds of seafood—a 14 percent decline from 2006 during which the American population consumed 16.5 pounds of seafood. Industry experts say that the trend can be attributed to the cost of the food. “We’re in the land of the dollar meal,” says Seafood Business editor James Wright, as quoted by Nation’s Restaurant News. “There’s not a lot of seafood that fits into that price scenario.” While the animal industry is experiencing a drop in profits, the vegan food business is experiencing a boom in sales as mainstream food sources ranging from grocery stores such as Safeway to food businesses such as Chipotle offer cruelty-free products to appease the public.