Consumer/Buyer Perspective

(Zurieck 2010)

The massive BP oil spill has raised the concerns of many consumers and restaurant owners who purchase their seafood from the Gulf.  Tommy Cvitanovich, the owner of Drago's, a thriving seafood restaurant in Louisiana, fears for the worst that the oil spill may bring (Chen 2010).  Potential dangers included a shortage of seafood and spikes in the prices, which would have sent Louisiana's seafood industry into economic turmoil (Chen 2010) .  However, there were suspicions raised by the consumers that began to take a toll upon the restaurant owners. In a situation similar to the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, many consumers refused to buy seafood due to misperceptions that it may have been contaminated (Guarino 2010).  Some seafood restaurant owners stopped buying their seafood from the Gulf, because their customers were inquiring on the origins of their fish (Guarino 2010).  The consumers’ doubt of the quality of the seafood from the Gulf may wreak massive economic havoc upon the innocent business owners who had bought seafood from the Gulf for many years.

Works Cited:

Chen, S. (2010) Does the Oil Spill Put the Seafood Restaurants at Risk? CNN News. (Date Accessed: February 12, 2013.) www.cnn.com

Zurieck, E. (2010) Augusta restaurateurs brace for oil spill impact. The Augusta Chronicle. (Date Accessed: February 18, 2013) www.chronicle.augusta.com