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Recent research carried out on behalf of the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) shows that 71% of British consumers believe it is important that retailers sell sustainably caught seafood.

The survey also reveals that Ecolabels are the most trusted source of information when making sustainable buying decisions. Consumers trust Ecolabels more than recommendations from family and friends (57%), and trust them more than supermarket (48%) and brand (37%) information. As a result, two-thirds of the UK consumers surveyed intend to buy more MSC labelled seafood.

The MSC research questioned 610 UK seafood buyers and over 9,000 people in total across another 15 countries. The MSC claim it is the largest international survey of sustainable seafood consumption produced.

Globally, almost all (90%) respondents thought that ocean sustainability is important, with 55% saying that falling fish stocks has become a more important issue than it was a year ago. In the UK, 67% of respondents agreed that buying sustainably caught seafood would help to ensure fish stocks for future generations, slightly higher than the global average of 60%.

Toby Middleton, senior UK manager at the MSC, said: "British consumers have demonstrated once again that they are ahead of the curve when it comes to demanding sustainable seafood. Some retailers and restaurants have responded well to this demand, but others have much further to go to meet the expectations of shoppers and diners when it comes to for sustainable seafood.

"British consumers have also shown that Ecolabel credibility is important to them and place a premium on our assurance that the food they are purchasing can be traced back to a fishery which has been independently assessed to meet the MSC's strict scientific standards for sustainable fishing."

A Marine Stewardship Council infographic detailing the latest figures is available to view below.