UK consumers bought over 467,000 tonnes of seafood in 2017, with the average person eating 1.15 portions per week. Although consumption patterns remain dominated by the familiar and mostly imported ‘big five’ species (cod, tuna, haddock, salmon and prawns), demand for alternative fish products is steadily growing. This is potentially good news for UK catch.
Consumers are also becoming more aware about sustainability and provenance. Certification schemes help inform consumers’ decisions and are increasingly influencing supply, retail and consumption habits. Fisheries are making substantial changes to be able to comply with such ecolabels. The Marine Stewardship Council, the UK’s most prominent certification scheme, has now certified a third of seafood products retailed in the UK.
Our third open meeting of 2019 will address the changing seafood market and how the UK seafood sector can effectively respond. Discussions will cover product marketing, challenging consumer misconceptions, and the growing role of certification schemes.