The volume and value of seafood sold in the frozen channel of U.K. retail has steadily declined over the past year with coldwater prawns one of the biggest losers in the downward trend.
For the 12 months ending 21 May 2016, the total volume of seafood sold in frozen retail amounted to 105,622 metric tons (MT), a decrease of 3.3 percent year-on-year, while the total value of these sales fell 0.3 percent to GBP 688.4 million (USD 915.4 million, EUR 815.8 million), according to new Nielsen ScanTrack data published by Seafish.
Some 4,647 MT of frozen coldwater prawns were sold in in the channel during the 12-month period, down 12.6 percent year-on-year. Though these sales increased 1 percent in value to GBP 51 million (USD 67.8 million, EUR 60.4 million), over the past eight years the value has fallen 19 percent. Indeed, the total volume sold has fallen more than 51 percent since 2008.
The average price paid for coldwater prawns this year is GBP 10.98 (USD 14.60, EUR 13.01) per kg, an increase of 15.5 percent compared to last year and more than 66 percent higher than eight years ago.
Meanwhile, sales of frozen warmwater shrimp over the past year have increased by 15.5 percent to 6,215 MT with a value of GBP 73.6 million (USD 97.9 million, EUR 87.2 million), up 8.4 percent. In line with the increased supply, the average price of this product has fallen 6.2 percent to GBP 11.84 (USD 15.75, EUR 14.03) per kg.
Over the past eight years, sales of frozen warmwater shrimp in U.K. retail have grown 51 percent in volume and 85 percent in value, while the average price has increased almost 23 percent.
