Salmon is the UK’s favourite fish as sales rise by more than 9%

The data comes from the ScanTrack survey jointly carried out by seafood industry body Seafish and marketing experts Nielsen.

In the run up to Christmas and New Year, sales hit more than £1.2bn in the 12 months to June, accounting for over a quarter (28%) of all fish bought in the UK.

The year-on-year growth for salmon outpaced the 4.8% rise recorded for all fish. In the chilled seafood sector, salmon maintained its leading position, holding 48% of the value share among the top 10 chilled species and selling around four times more than warm water prawns, its closest competitor.

Smoked salmon – a Christmas staple – makes up 25.2% of salmon sales, with demand expected to rise further during the festive season.

Trade body Salmon Scotland said the figures reflect strong demand and consumer confidence in Scottish salmon, raised in the waters off the Highlands and islands.

Separately, exports are on track for a record-breaking year, with third-quarter data showing international sales up 11% to £191m between June and September, bringing the nine-month total to £622m.

This surpasses the £618m full-year total from 2019, the highest on record. Growth has been driven by increased exports to key markets including France, the USA, and China, with Taiwan and Singapore rounding out the top five.

Each quarter of 2024 has seen rises in both volume and sales, with April-to-June recording the largest growth.

Scottish salmon, farmed in five areas across Scotland’s west coast and northern islands, remains the UK’s largest food export.