UK salmon sales reached nearly £1.5bn in 2024
Salmon sales in the UK hit a record total of almost £1.5bn in 2024, ensuring that the pink fish retains its status as the UK’s favourite seafood.
Figures compiled by ScanTrack for the public body Seafish show that salmon sales leapt by 5.5% year on year for the 12 months to December 2024, accounting for nearly a third of all fish sales in the UK.
The revenue growth for salmon outpaced the 2.9% rise recorded across the wider fish category.
Figures include Scottish and imported salmon. Cod, tuna and warm water prawns took second, third and fourth place respectively.
Salmon now accounts for 31% of seafood market share by value, and in volume terms it was up by 5.8% at over 73,000 tonnes. All the main seafood species saw increases apart from the cold water white fish cod and haddock.
In value terms, fish sales in the UK were up, as follows:
- Fish: £4,651,355,000 – up 2.9%
- Total salmon: £1,450,387,000 – up 5.5%
- Cod: £507,121,000 – down 1.4%
- Tuna: £470,885,000 – up 4%
- Warm water prawns: £438,507,000 – up 2.4%
- Pollock: £250,826,000 – up 8.3%
- Haddock: £248,340,000 – down 2.8%
- Mixed seafood: £223,400,000 – up 3.2%
- Cold water prawns: £208,181,000 – up 1.1%
- Mackerel: £152,592,000 – up 7.8%
- Sea bass: £96,070 – up 3.4%
Despite rising prices, seafood also saw an increase in volume terms:
- Fish: 410,157 tonnes – up 2.4%
- Total salmon: 73,405 tonnes – up 5.8%
- Cod: 48,326 tonnes – down 0.7%
- Tuna: 68,598 tonnes – up 4.6%
- Warm water prawns: 25,312 tonnes – no change
- Pollock: 41,127 tonnes – up 9.2%
- Haddock: 22,103 tonnes – down 0.2%
- Mixed seafood: 18,648 tonnes – up 4.3%
- Cold water prawns: 14,614 tonnes – up 1.8%
- Mackerel: 15,922 tonnes – up 1.8%
- Sea bass: 5,764 tonnes – up 5.3%
Industry body Salmon Scotland pointed out that the continuing growth in salmon consumption comes despite activist campaigns aimed at closing farms.
Tavish Scott, chief executive of Salmon Scotland, said: “Scottish salmon continues to be a key player in the UK’s seafood market, both as the leading food export and a preferred choice for British shoppers.
“With salmon now accounting for nearly a third of all fish sales in the UK, it’s clear that people are choosing it for its health benefits and sustainability.
“This demand is great news for the nation’s health and the economy, supporting thousands of jobs across Scotland’s rural and coastal communities.
“Even with loud, well-funded campaigns trying to shut down farms, the popularity of Scottish salmon keeps growing, both here and abroad.
“Shoppers continue to trust its quality, with Scottish salmon renowned for its superior taste and responsible farming practices.”
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