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Trust and Seaweed: Why the West is Missing Out
Seaweed is both a nutritional powerhouse and a climate-friendly crop, requiring no land, little freshwater and no fertilisers. In Asian countries, such as Japan, it's an everyday staple, but in western countries like the UK, it's still seen as exotic. Our study compares the two, revealing how trust, politics, education and risk-taking shape whether people eat seaweed, or whether they are likely to try it in future. The results show that while Japanese consumers embrace seaweed as part of tradition, UK consumers often face barriers like limited availability and unfamiliarity. Promoting seaweed in Western diets could benefit both people's health and the planet; but it will take more than sushi menus to make it mainstream.
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Citations: …- Full, open access article: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105650
- Feature in The Conversation
- Feature in Japan Today
- Feature in MSN
- Feature in MedicalXpress
- Feature in News Minimalist
- Feature in Inkl
- Feature in Western Morning News
- Feature in Mirage News
- Feature in Health Pulse Daily
Citation:- Pickering, S. D., & Iwasaki, M., & Masita, G., & Roskam, A., & Hansen, M. E., & Sunahara, Y. (2025). Who eats seaweed? Barriers and motivations in Japan versus the United Kingdom. Food Quality and Preference, 128, 105650.
