Seafood Traceability: A Strategic Pillar to Enhance Quality and Rebuild Consumer Trust in Tunisia

Seafood plays a critical role in Tunisia’s food security, public health, and economy. However, consumer trust has increasingly faced challenges due to growing doubts regarding product quality, origins, and the lack of transparent information at points of sale, compounded by the prevalence of informal distribution channels.

In this context, the latest policy brief published by NOVATEQUE identifies “traceability” as a powerful strategic tool to restore this broken trust. The brief highlights that consumer behaviors vary substantially based on income levels: middle-to-high-income households heavily weigh quality criteria like origin and food safety, while low-income households are forced to prioritize price, leaving them more vulnerable to lower-quality seafood.

To avoid reinforcing socio-economic inequalities, the brief advocates for inclusive, low-cost digital tools, such as QR codes and simplified national labeling systems. These solutions can rapidly increase supply chain transparency, empower consumers, and safeguard the local fisheries sector.