## 3 Results and Discussion  
### Consumer Attitudes  
Fish consumption frequency and consumer attitudes towards fish packaging are presented in Table 2. Results show that almost all participants of the study (99%) consumed fish on a weekly or monthly basis. Furthermore, they usually purchased fresh fish, and unpackaged fish in particular. These results are in accordance with previous research conducted in Greece that indicated that at least 77% of the participants consumed fish once per week and that almost 80% preferred to eat fresh fish [22]. In another study, it was reported that the vast majority of the studied population (88% men and 91% women) consumed fish at least once a month [23]. Moreover, among eight European countries, Greece has been rated second after Portugal in the consumption frequency of fish, especially fresh fish, though not among the first in the total per capita consumption [24].  
Regarding their attitudes and beliefs, more than half (59%) of the respondents believe that packaged fish is more convenient than unpackaged fish, 38% believe that packaged fresh fish is safer, while 50% believe that it is less fresh than unpacked fresh fish. The latter finding is also reflected in their preference for buying fresh fish that is not packed (88%). The above results stress the complexity of fish quality which involves both product characteristics but also consumer perceptions [10; 11; 12]. Perception is dependent on consumers' knowledge and cognition but also on their emotions, beliefs and general socio-culture heritage [10; 25; 26]. Product attributes that have been identified to play a role in fish consumption and purchase behavior are, among others: origin, preservation method, fish freshness, convenience, availability, safety, and price [11; 13; 27]. Furthermore, consumer perception can also influence the potential of a product in the market [10]; thus, attitudes towards fish consumption, such as healthiness aspects and taste [12], but also perceived image and trust in the end product [28], may be of great importance.  
Finally, the participants of our study were asked if they would prefer to buy a packaging with a pad over one without a pad. More than half of them replied positively, while almost 1/3 remained indifferent. However, only a small percentage of the participants were clearly negative towards the packaging with a pad (Table 2). Thus, taking into consideration the positive and indifferent answers as well, we could infer that there is a generally favorable attitude towards the pads. In contrast to the openness to new technology of these particular consumers, previous research on Greek consumers has reported their preference for more traditional packaging methods and methods with technology that is probably easier to grasp, such as vacuum--as the majority of those consumers reported that they were not aware of the function of the different packaging types ([PERSON], 2016). This stresses the importance of raising awareness among consumers, and public policies should orientate towards this goal.  
In our study, the proportion of consumers that were negative about the use of pads may prefer to be able to see any kind of spoilage in the food that comes with storage time, and may be afraid that the pad would mask such changes. This observation is based on oral communication with the participants who replied negatively, after the end of the test session. This is in accordance with the literature that reports the importance of trust in the end-product ([PERSON], 2016) and the fact that although consumers seek better quality of packed food, they are not fond of technologies that make them feel deceived ([PERSON], 2016).