Total sales of chilled, frozen and ambient seafood (fish and shellfish) are expected to increase to £3.4 billion in 2014, a 12% increase since 2009.

Volumes, meanwhile, have fallen 11% over the period as the category has suffered from the effects of inflation.

There has been a shift in the dynamics between the three segments over that period, with chilled making the greatest gains in volume, at the expense of frozen. Ambient has also lost ground.

Whilst operators have undertaken housekeeping through responsible sourcing and there have been key added-value innovations, more needs to be done to increase consumption and to drive home the two-a-week recommendation.

Seafood is defined for the purposes of this report as comprising retail sales of fish and shellfish for in-home consumption. This includes fish (fin fish) and shellfish (including crustaceans), whether fresh, frozen or ambient, as well as processed and ready-to-cook products.

The word ‘ambient’ is used to refer to the segment traditionally dominated by canned fish, which now also includes ambient fish in cartons, pouches and jars.

Excluded from this report (with the exception of Defra figures for average fish consumption) are seafood-based ready meals and sales of seafood through the catering sector, eg fish and chip shops. Sales of sushi are also excluded.

The market size in this report differs from the Mintel Market Sizes’ market size for the category because the Mintel Market Sizes figure includes sales of ready meals and meal centres, which this report does not include.

It also differs from the Mintel Market Sizes’ market size for the category because the Mintel Market Sizes figure excludes sales of chilled plain whole, filleted or portioned fish, which this report includes.

Value figures throughout this report are at retail selling prices (rsp) and include VAT, unless stated otherwise. Market sizes at constant 2014 prices are devised using Mintel’s food deflator.

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