U.K. retail sales of seafood increased by both volume and value in 2024, with purchases of salmon – the market’s most popular fish – outpacing the rest of the category, according to new data from Seafish, ScanTrack, and Salmon Scotland.
Shoppers in the country purchased 410,157 metric tons (MT) of fish and shellfish in 2024 worth over GBP 4.65 billion (USD 6.2 billion, EUR 5.4 billion). These numbers were up 2.4 percent and 2.9 percent, respectively, over the previous year.
Over 73,000 MT of salmon products worth over GBP 1.45 billion (USD 1.9 billion, EUR 1.7 billion) were sold in the U.K. in 2024, representing year-over-year volume and value increases of 5.8 percent and 5.5 percent, respectively.
The data highlighted that with its 31 percent share of overall seafood retail value, salmon sales were almost three times greater than its nearest competitor – cod. Indeed, it now accounts for nearly 1 MT out of every 5 MT of fish sold nationwide.
U.K. cod sales last year amounted to 48,326 MT worth GBP 507.1 million (USD 675.6 million, EUR 594.2 million), with the volume slipping 0.7 percent and the value down 1.4 percent year over year.
Rounding out the top five, sales of tuna in 2024 reached 68,598 MT, which was up 4.6 percent, and worth GBP 470.9 million (USD 627.3 million, EUR 551.7 million), which was up 4 percent. Warmwater shrimp sales comprised 25,312 MT of products, which represented no change from 2023, worth GBP 438.5 million (USD 584.2 million, EUR 513.7 million), which was up 2.4 percent. Pollock sales overtook haddock for the fifth spot with 41,127 MT of products sold, which was up 9.2 percent on 2023, worth GBP 250.8 million (USD 334.1 million, EUR 293.8 million), which was up 8.3 percent.
Trade body Salmon Scotland noted that the latest increases came despite activist efforts aimed at closing fish farms in Scotland.
“Even with loud, well-funded campaigns trying to shut down farms, the popularity of Scottish salmon keeps growing – both here and abroad,” Salmon Scotland CEO Tavish Scott said in a statement.
Figures from His Majesty's Revenue and Custom (HMRC) and Salmon Scotland found that Scottish salmon in particular was the United Kingdom’s top food export in 2024, with overseas sales rising 45 percent by value to a record GBP 844 million (USD 1.1 billion, EUR 989.2 million) and 59 percent by volume to 101,466 MT.
Despite U.S. tariffs, the sector remains confident in international demand, Salmon Scotland said.
