Shoppers will pay 80% more for 'organic' fish, but they won't spend a single extra penny if it's labeled 'sustainable.'
April 2, 2026
Original Paper
Price Premiums for Sustainability and Organic Certifications A Case Study for Salmon in German Food Retailing
SSRN · 6508147
The Takeaway
Analysis of German retail data shows that while 'organic' labels command massive price increases, sustainability certifications like MSC or ASC provide zero price premium and are sometimes associated with lower prices. This suggests consumers view organic status as a personal health benefit worth paying for, while sustainability is viewed as a collective good or a marketing baseline.
From the abstract
The concept of sustainability has become a prominent subject in public discourse, particularly in relation to seafood products. This study examines the effect of sustainability certification on the retail price of salmon, a widely consumed fish in Germany. Using a random effects model, the impact of sustainability certification and organic certification is estimated while taking various product characteristics into consideration, including weight, packaging and processing type, among others. The