Call for new approach as seafood consumption declines

Seafood consumption in Britain is continuing to fall, a new survey by the industry body Seafish finds. Cost inflation, which reached its peak last year, is one of the main reasons, but the study says other factors are also in play.

The report says that seafood consumption in the UK fell 22% between 2006 and 2022, but post-Covid the decline has accelerated, and is now equivalent to a fall of 30% every 10 years.

Seafood retail sales have fallen by 13.6% since the peak in 2021. For foodservice, servings of seafood remain, flat hovering around 20% lower than before the pandemic. Servings are down 18% compared with 2019.

There are a few positives such as farmed fish (presumably salmon) and convenience meals, but the overall picture is not great.

Seafish says: “As with other parts of the food sector, the seafood industry is facing severe challenges but also the prospect of substantial opportunity.

“We’re exploring how seafood consumption in the UK is changing and how key drivers are generating opportunities and threats now and into the future. “

The Fish as Food review concludes that in the wider world major changes are afoot, driven by economic and food security prospects and climate change. Major changes are underway in food expectations with possible changes in production.

“Seafood could struggle under tough conditions in the next five years,” it warns.

The review continues: “There are immediate challenges such as inflation, cost-of-living, and the Russia – Ukraine conflict. These challenges, and others, could lead to significant structural change for the industry.

“However, in the face of these changes, seafood has a window of opportunity. Seafood’s position in the market will be strengthened if it is promoted as a high-quality protein that is value for money.

“Efforts should be made to ‘foreground’ the great taste of seafood to consumers while trust in seafood will be enhanced by greater consistency in supply chains.

“Seafood formats may need to be reinvented to match the needs of key consumers. Health has also been a relatively neglected aspect of seafood, yet is a major opportunity.

“Seafood stakeholders need to work together to address these challenges, with efforts directed towards reaching a common language.”

The report adds: “Demand for farmed seafood and convenience remains: despite pressure on personal finances, sales of convenient seafood such as fish pie mix and coated products remains strong.”

Like so many other aspects of life, the pandemic seems to have been the event which has brought about huge changes.

That great British institution, the fish and chip shop (and full service restaurants) has also lost market share but frozen seafood is back to full strength, driven by fish fingers and battered portions.