La place des consommateurs dans les dynamiques territoriales de connaissance. Le cas des produits de la mer

This article proposes an interpretation of the concept of territorial dynamics of knowledge by integrating consumers into the industry-research-administration triptych in the case of the seafood industry. Recent models associating consumers and producers are part of the knowledge and innovation economy. The article is motivated by two questions: Does the seafood industry meet the characteristics of knowledge-based economies? Is this knowledge shared with consumers? While disruptive innovations are rare, incremental improvements are frequent in this industry. This article is based on a consumer survey carried out in 2021 on the French market. The survey results, where consumers are separated according to their department of residence (coastal and non-coastal), support the hypothesis that geographical proximity strongly impacts knowledge of seafood products. Indeed, the results reveal that coastal households tend to have differentiated preferences for seafood products compared to non-coastal households. They pay more attention to the provenance (local and national) and the environmental impact of the seafood they consume. An explicit difference in knowledge between coastal and non-coastal consumers can explain this difference in expressed preferences. Indeed, our results show that coastal consumers tend to have a higher level of subjective and objective knowledge regarding the seafood sector than non-coastal consumers. They tend to rate themselves as more expert, reflected in a greater knowledge of labelling regulations and the link between wild fisheries and aquaculture production. Based on these results, the discussion focuses on two issues: the environmental impact of fishing methods and trade regulations. While coastal households have a better knowledge of these two subjects, controversy is present.