Seaweed is still not commonly eaten in Western societies, despite the science detailing nutritional benefits, sustainability advantages over terrestrial crops, and economic potential. Yet seaweed offers a range of micronutrients to the diet, with the nutrient content varying based on species, environmental characteristics, water temperature, and water quality. As seaweed is a non-traditional food for most Australian consumers, it is likely considered a novel food by many. Young consumers have been identified as those most likely to eat seaweed. We know that Australian seaweed consumers are likely to be aged 18-35 years, female, with a high level of education and high household income. While we have some understanding of the profile of seaweed consumers in Australia, there is no literature investigating the drivers of consumption specifically within this group of young adults.

This study is a first-time exploratory study that seeks to understand consumer preference and motivators to seaweed consumption within young Australians, using focus groups. This is particularly relevant as Australians aged 20-30 years made up 14.1% of the nation’s population in 2020. Besides being the largest proportion of seaweed consumers to date, young adults also possess the ability to influence the normalisation of seaweed intake, thereby reshaping healthier consumption behaviours for future generations.

Research outcomes

This project sampled over 1400 young (19–30-year-old) Australian seaweed eaters to gain insight into what seaweed eating occasions look like for young Australians. The findings describe the profile of a young Australia seaweed consumer, identify consumer preferences and motivations and make recommendations for food industry developments and consumer marketing.

Benefits of the project

The youth researcher in this project has taken a leadership role in managing her project. She has hosted meetings with key stakeholders, upskilled herself in complex quantitative analysis, and immersed herself in marketing and external engagement opportunities, for example public speaking and hosting a recorded cooking show. 

More broadly this project has benefits for society as this cutting-edge consumer driven research in this project highlights the rich interdisciplinary nature of research teams within UniSC. In doing so, the university has positioned itself as a leader in applied seaweed research to combat the SDGs.

One youth research team member was part of this project.