UK Fish and Shellfish Market Report 2022
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Description
The UK Fish and Shellfish report identifies consumer attitudes towards fish, shellfish, barriers to usage and recent launch activity in the UK. This market report covers the market size, market forecast, market segmentation and industry trends for the Fish and Shellfish market in the UK.
Click here to view the German version of our Fish and Shellfish Market Report 2022.
Current Market Landscape
Like the majority of food categories in retail, seafood sales were sharply boosted by the COVID-19 outbreak. Going forward, the long-term increase in working from home will lend minor support for the market going forward with more at-home lunch occasions.
- 64% of fish/shellfish eaters and buyers are interested in recipes using these as an alternative to meat/poultry.
- 35% of fish/shellfish eaters and buyers say that media coverage regarding the sustainability of them has caused them to cut back on them.
- 39% of fish/shellfish eaters and buyers say plant-based alternatives from their favourite fish/shellfish brands would appeal to them.
The increased pressure on household incomes in the shorter term will curb demand for this relatively expensive grocery item. Improving recipe availability will tap into increased cooking from scratch and boost perceptions of versatility to unlock new occasions.
Future Market Trends in Fish and Shellfish
The fish and shellfish industry saw a decline in 2021, with the lifting of pandemic restrictions causing the number of at-home meal occasions fall. Additionally, increasing pressure on household incomes during the Omicron variant’s emergence saw many cutting back on non-essential spending.
With sustainability predicted to be a long-term consumer focus, responding to ethical and environmental concerns through better communication of accreditations will be crucial for brands going forward.
Read on to discover more details or take a look at all of our UK Food and Foodservice market research.
Quickly understand
- The impact of COVID-19 on the fish and shellfish market.
- Key trends in recent launch activity and opportunities going forward.
- Fish/shellfish usage and types eaten.
- Barriers to more frequent usage.
- Consumer behaviours and attitudes related to fish and shellfish.
Covered in this report
Brands: Karro Food Group (Young’s), Nomad Foods (Birds Eye), Whitby, John West, Princes, Glenryck, The Tasty Catch Co, Asda, Taste the Difference, Hooked, Fish Tales Sea Green, Mowi, Harry Ramsden’s, Sainsbury’s, Iceland, Fire Pit, Morrisons, Aldi, Bolton Food, Whole Catch, Delpierre, Fish 4 Ever.
Expert analysis from a specialist in the field
This report, written by Utku Tansel, a leading analyst in the Retail sector, delivers in-depth commentary and analysis to highlight current trends and add expert context to the numbers.
Increased cooking from scratch and at-home meal occasions during COVID-19 gave the fish/shellfish market a considerable boost in 2020. That fish/shellfish is seen in a more favourable light in terms of health compared to meat should also help the market tap into heightened interest in health. Whilst an increased consumer focus on sustainability poses a threat to the market, openness to vegan/plant-based alternatives from established brands offers a way for them to keep people engaged.
Alice Pilkington
Food and Drink Analyst
Table of Contents
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Overview
- Key issues covered in this Report
- COVID-19: market context
- Economic and other assumptions
- Products covered in this Report
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Executive Summary
- Impact of COVID-19 on fish and shellfish
- Figure 1: Short, medium and long-term impact of COVID-19 on fish and shellfish, 2022
- The market
- COVID-19 provides significant uplift to fish and shellfish in 2020
- Fish/shellfish sales fall back as COVID-19 boost wanes in 2021
- Fish and shellfish retail sales expected to be hit in 2022
- Figure 2: Market forecast for retail value sales of fish and shellfish, 2016-26
- Chilled fish sees volume sales fall back slightly in 2021…
- …frozen fish/shellfish impacted by loss of at-home meal occasions in 2021; ambient falls below 2019 levels
- Figure 3: UK retail value sales of fish and shellfish, by storage type, 2019-21
- Companies and brands
- Chilled fish sales dominated by own-label
- Frozen fish/shellfish brands stagnate or decline in 2021
- Figure 4: Leading brands’ sales in the UK frozen fish and shellfish market, 2019/20 and 2020/21
- Value sales fall across the board for ambient fish/shellfish brands
- Figure 5: Leading brands’ sales in the UK ambient fish and shellfish market, 2019/20 and 2020/21
- John West seeks to reposition itself with raft of functional NPD
- Young’s targets family, lunchtime occasions and younger shoppers
- Birds Eye remains the top ad spender
- The consumer
- Seafood remains on menu for nine in 10 people
- Figure 6: Overall usage of fish and shellfish, 2021
- Frozen is most popular type for both fish and shellfish
- Figure 7: Usage of fish and shellfish, by storage type, 2021
- Over-55s have the widest repertoires of fish
- Sustainably sourced fish/shellfish is top interest
- Figure 8: Concepts of interest in fish and shellfish, 2021
- Two thirds are interested in recipes using fish as alternative to meat
- 39% would find plant-based fish/shellfish alternatives appealing
- Figure 9: Behaviours related to fish and shellfish, 2021
- Nearly two thirds find canned fish for at-home lunch appealing
- Figure 10: Attitudes towards fish and shellfish, 2021
- Impact of COVID-19 on fish and shellfish
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Issues and Insights
- Nearly two thirds find canned fish for at-home lunch appealing
- Considerable opportunities in recipes using fish as alternative to meat
- Improving communication will be key to tapping into long-term sustainability concerns
- 39% would find plant-based fish/shellfish alternatives appealing
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Market Size and Performance
- Impact of COVID-19 on fish and shellfish
- Figure 11: Short, medium and long-term impact of COVID-19 on fish and shellfish, 2022
- COVID-19 provides significant uplift to fish and shellfish in 2020
- Figure 12: UK retail value and volume sales of fish and shellfish, 2016-21
- Fish/shellfish sales fall back as COVID-19 boost wanes in 2021
- Impact of COVID-19 on fish and shellfish
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Market Forecast
- Fish and shellfish retail sales expected to be hit in 2022
- Headwinds ahead in the ‘next normal’
- Figure 13: Market forecast for retail value sales of fish and shellfish, 2016-26
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- Figure 14: Market forecast for retail volume sales of fish and shellfish, 2016-26
- Market drivers and assumptions
- Figure 15: Key drivers affecting Mintel’s market forecast, 2015-26
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Market Segmentation
- Chilled fish sees volume sales fall back slightly in 2021
- Figure 16: Value and volume retail sales of fish and shellfish, by format, 2016-21
- Frozen fish impacted by loss of at-home meal occasions in 2021…
- …while ambient fish/shellfish falls below 2019 levels
- Chilled fish sees volume sales fall back slightly in 2021
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Market Drivers
- COVID-19 severely disrupts seafood industry
- Brexit adds to COVID-19 woes of seafood industry
- Increased red tape causes delays and disruption….
- …whilst France and UK argue over fishing rights
- Increased focus on health shows no sign of abating
- Some consumers swapping meat for fish
- Ban on HFSS volume and in-store promotions
- Most breaded and battered fish/shellfish unlikely to be impacted
- On-pack nutrition label consultation proposed
- Long-term focus on sustainability predicted
- Seaspiracy documentary raises question around sustainability of fishing industry
- Calling out sustainability credentials will be crucial
- Interest in plant-based fish/shellfish alternatives points to opportunities for brands to tap into wider flexitarian trend
- Seafood to be hit as household incomes face pressure from multiple fronts
- Figure 17: UK retail sales of fish and shellfish, by % change, 2006-10
- Long-term working from home points to opportunities for canned fish/shellfish
- Pandemic sees significant changes in grocery shopping habits
- Ageing population will hinder the category
- Figure 18: Weekly or more frequent usage of fish and shellfish, by storage type, by parents and non-parents, 2021
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- Figure 19: Trends in UK population, by age, 2015-20 and 2020-25
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Market Share
- Chilled fish sales dominated by own-label
- Frozen fish/shellfish brands stagnate or decline in 2021
- Figure 20: Leading brands’ sales and share in the UK frozen fish and shellfish retail market, by value and volume, 2018/19-2020/21
- Value sales fall across the board for ambient fish/shellfish brands
- Figure 21: Leading brands’ sales and share in the UK ambient fish and shellfish retail market, by value and volume, 2018/19-2020/21
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Launch Activity and Innovation
- All ethical claims up in 2021
- Figure 22: Share of new product launches in the UK fish/shellfish market with selected ethical claims, 2016-21
- Young’s calls out its packaging reduction successes
- Figure 23: Young’s calls out benefits of its packaging reduction, 2021
- Whitby Seafood continues to replace plastic trays with cardboard for chilled products
- Figure 24: Whitby Seafoods calls out 85% less plastic, 2021
- Branded launches edge up slightly versus own-label in 2021
- Figure 25: New product launches in the UK fish and shellfish market, by private label and branded, 2017-21
- Aldi and Asda explore frozen marinated prawns
- Figure 26: Aldi and Asda explore frozen marinated prawns, 2021
- Sainsbury’s mimics meat flavours and format in premium salmon launch
- Figure 27: Sainsbury’s mimics meat flavours and format in smoked salmon, 2021
- Young’s targets younger shoppers with relaunched Hooked and packaging redesign
- Figure 28: Young’s targets younger consumers with relaunched Hooked and repackaging of chilled variants, 2020-21
- Young’s adds scampi to frozen Chip Shop range
- John West seeks to reposition itself with raft of functional NPD
- Figure 29: John West targets functionality and rebrands on-the-go variants, 2021
- John West launches Salmon Fridge Pot and enters ready meals segment
- Sea Green and Mowi launch into the UK market
- Figure 30: Sea Green and Mowi launch into UK fish/shellfish category, 2021
- Harry Ramsden’s launches exclusive range for Iceland
- Figure 31: Harry Ramsden’s exclusive range for Iceland, 2021
- Own-label seeks to expand usage occasions of fish to barbecues…
- Figure 32: Recent own-label launches targeting the barbecue occasion, 2021
- …whilst Young’s Seafood targets family and lunchtime occasions with Fish Fillet Strips
- Figure 33: Young’s targets family and lunchtime occasions with Fish Fillet Strips, 2021
- All ethical claims up in 2021
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Advertising and Marketing Activity
- Adspend returns to pre-COVID levels
- Figure 34: Above-the-line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on fish and shellfish, by advertiser, 2019-21
- Birds Eye remains the top spender
- Birds Eye focuses on Battered Cod in 2020…
- …whilst 2021 sees the brand try to change perceptions of frozen fish
- Birds Eye partners with Iceland to find ‘mini’ Captain Birds Eye
- Young’s brings back successful 2020 ‘Masters of Fish’ campaign
- John West uses new ‘Girl on the Move’ ad to support repositioning strategy
- Whitby Seafood claims TV first with advert focused entirely on scampi
- Newcomer Fish Said Fred unveils sponsorship of Steph’s Packed Lunch
- Seafish launches campaign to increase usage of UK-caught seafood
- Nielsen Ad Intel coverage
- Adspend returns to pre-COVID levels
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Brand Research
- Brand map
- Figure 35: Attitudes towards and usage of selected brands, 2021
- Key brand metrics
- Figure 36: Key metrics for selected brands, 2021
- Brand attitudes: Birds Eye leads on all attributes
- Figure 37: Attitudes, by brand, 2021
- Brand personality: Whitby Seafoods follows Birds Eye for fun image
- Figure 38: Brand personality – macro image, 2021
- John West leads on healthy perceptions
- Figure 39: Brand personality – micro image, 2021
- Brand map
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Usage of Fish and Shellfish
- Fish and shellfish remain on menu for nine in 10 people
- Figure 40: Overall usage of fish and shellfish, 2021
- Frozen is most popular storage type for both fish and shellfish
- Figure 41: Usage of fish and shellfish, by storage type, 2021
- Those with ‘healthy’ finances more likely to eat all types of fish
- Figure 42: Usage of fish and shellfish, by storage type, by those with ‘healthy’ vs those with ‘tight’ finances, 2021
- Fish and shellfish remain on menu for nine in 10 people
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Usage Frequency for Fish and Shellfish
- Fish is an infrequent choice for most
- Figure 43: Usage frequency of fish, 2021
- Only one in five eat chilled shellfish at least once a week
- Figure 44: Usage frequency of shellfish, 2021
- Parents of under-16s use all formats of fish and shellfish most often
- Figure 45: Weekly or more frequent usage of fish, by storage type, by parents and non-parents, 2021
- Fish is an infrequent choice for most
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Types of Fish and Shellfish Eaten
- Cod, tuna and salmon are most popular fish
- Figure 46: Types of fish eaten, 2021
- Over-55s have the widest repertoires of fish
- Figure 47: Repertoire of types of fish eaten, by age, 2021
- Prawns dominate shellfish usage
- Figure 48: Types of shellfish eaten, 2021
- Majority only eat one or two types of shellfish
- Figure 49: Repertoire of types of shellfish eaten, 2021
- Cod, tuna and salmon are most popular fish
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Concepts of Interest in Fish and Shellfish
- Sustainably sourced fish/shellfish is top interest
- Figure 50: Concepts of interest in fish and shellfish, 2021
- Difficulty in identifying sustainable fish/shellfish points to problems in communication
- Give more details on-pack of sustainable practices
- Figure 51: Recent fish/shellfish products giving more information about the MSC and RSPCA Assured accreditations, 2021
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- Figure 52: Whole Catch Cold Smoked Atlantic Salmon calling out sustainable practices, 2021
- Figure 53: Delpierre calling out ‘reasonable aquaculture’ and providing details on what it means, 2021
- Providing traceability through on-pack codes speaks to the same
- Figure 54: John West and Fish 4 Ever providing consumers with ways to trace their fish, 2021
- Tapping into interest in native UK species can align brands with increased desire to buy British brought about by COVID-19
- Considerable interest in speedy cooking solutions…
- Figure 55: Examples of fish/shellfish products calling out short cooking time, 2018-21
- Make cooking time more central to front-of-pack messaging
- Figure 56: Sainsbury’s Just Cook…Pulled Beef Brisket Parcels making cooking time prominent to front-of-pack messaging, 2021
- Calling out short cooking time on frozen products will help to break down barriers to usage
- Figure 57: Recent international examples of frozen fish/shellfish products calling out 15-minute cooking times, 2020-21
- …and products that can be cooked in their packaging
- Figure 58: Birds Eye Perfectly Baked range which cooks in a bag, 2019
- ‘En papillote’ products can tap into plastic packaging concerns
- Figure 59: Recent examples of “en papillote” products, 2019-20
- Sustainably sourced fish/shellfish is top interest
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Behaviours Related to Fish and Shellfish
- Two thirds are interested in recipes using fish as alternative to meat
- Figure 60: Behaviours related to fish and shellfish, 2021
- Providing recipes commonly associated with meat will boost perceptions of ease of swap
- Figure 61: Examples of on-pack recipe suggestions on fish/shellfish products, 2019-20
- Increase visibility of recipes using seafood on other meal components
- Figure 62: Recent UK and US examples of cooking sauces, pastes and seasonings calling out suitability for specific fish/shellfish, 2020-21
- Ambient meal kits can encourage usage with fish/shellfish
- Figure 63: Old El Paso Stand ‘N Stuff taco boat kit, 2021
- Opportunities in new seafood formats that make like-for-like swaps easy
- Figure 64: John West mirrors meatballs with Tuna Bowl launch, 2020
- Figure 65: Recent international examples of fish/shellfish products mirroring meat formats, 2021
- 39% would find plant-based fish/shellfish alternatives appealing
- Figure 66: Recent NPD in plant-based fish/shellfish alternatives, 2021
- Two thirds are interested in recipes using fish as alternative to meat
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Barriers to Eating Fish and Shellfish
- Cost remains key barrier to fish/shellfish
- Figure 67: Barriers to eating fish and shellfish, 2021
- Cost remains key barrier to fish/shellfish
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Attitudes towards Fish and Shellfish
- Nearly two thirds find canned fish for at-home lunch appealing
- Figure 68: Attitudes towards fish and shellfish, 2021
- Need for greater communication of lunch recipes on-pack
- Figure 69: The Spice Tailor providing recipe cardboard sleeve, 2021
- Position canned fish within aisles featuring popular lunch components and explore collaborations
- John West offers cues for going beyond recipes to target lunch through NPD
- Figure 70: Recent NPD from John West targeting the lunch occasion, 2020-21
- Considerable interest in more exciting fish/shellfish products for kids
- Figure 71: Recent children’s fish/shellfish products featuring playful shapes, 2018-21
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- Figure 72: John West targets children with Kids Tuna Bites, 2020
- Nearly two thirds find canned fish for at-home lunch appealing
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Appendix – Data Sources, Abbreviations and Supporting Information
- Abbreviations
- Consumer research methodology
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Appendix – Market Share
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- Figure 73: Leading brand owners’ sales and share in the UK frozen fish and shellfish retail market, by value and volume, 2018/19-2020/21
- Figure 74: Leading brand owners’ sales and share in the UK ambient fish and shellfish retail market, by value and volume, 2018/19-2020/21
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Appendix – Forecast Methodology
- Market forecast and prediction intervals
- Figure 75: Market forecast and prediction intervals for UK value retail sales of fish and shellfish, 2021-26
- Figure 76: Market forecast and prediction intervals for UK volume retail sales of fish and shellfish, 2021-26
- Market drivers and assumptions
- Figure 77: Key drivers affecting Mintel’s market forecast, 2020-26
- Market forecast and prediction intervals
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