Spending on certified sustainable seafood hit a record-breaking £1.5bn in the UK and Ireland last year, despite the ongoing impacts of the cost of living crisis, a new report has found.
There was a 12% growth in purchasing compared with the previous year, according to a report published by the Marine Stewardship Council.
This signifies the largest annual growth in spending on sustainable fish and seafood products and menu items carrying the MSC’s blue eco-label since 2018.
It has largely been driven by a leap in sales of sustainable tuna and spending on frozen, preserved and ready meal products, according to the MSC UK & Ireland Market Report 2024.
Consumers purchased over 23,500 tonnes of MSC-certified tuna, representing 38% of all tuna sold in supermarkets.
Meanwhile frozen, preserved and ready meal categories alone contributed two-thirds of the increase in consumer spending on MSC-labelled products.
Nine of the 10 leading UK supermarkets sold 121,383 tonnes of MSC-certified seafood under their own brands last year, which represented an increase of 8% compared with the previous year and a new all-time high.
Shoppers spent £1.1bn on retailer own-brand products, a rise of 13% compared with last year and the first-time sales exceeded £1bn.
The report also found that awareness of the blue eco-label was now at 51% among UK consumers, up from 48% in 2022.
“With the UK public becoming increasingly concerned about the future of our oceans, the record-breaking £1.5bn spent on MSC-labelled products last year reflects growing demand for sustainable options – and this is despite more pressure on people’s weekly food budgets,” said Seth McCurry, MSC UK & Ireland senior commercial manager. “The UK retail sector continues to be a global leader in sustainable seafood, while pet food products and supplements highlight opportunities with real potential for future growth.”
Over the past year, many of the UK’s top supermarkets increased their MSC-labelled product ranges, with seven out of 10 now featuring the blue MSC eco-label on over 50% of their own-brand wild seafood offerings.
The report also highlighted achievements by MSC-certified fisheries including the recertification of the Norther Ireland and Republic of Ireland bottom-grown mussel fisheries and the Falkland Island toothfish fishery.
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