UK and Irish shoppers spent a record £1.33 billion on MSC certified fish and seafood in 2023, up 5% from the previous year, according to new figures.
The MSC UK & Ireland Market Report 2023 also reveals a volume increase for MSC labelled products rising to 154,543 tonnes – 1% higher than the preceding year.
The volume increase was largely due to growth in certified skipjack tuna sales, which nearly doubled over the year due to more MSC labelled canned tuna becoming available at Aldi, Tesco and Sainsbury’s.
MSC labelled products accounted for an estimated 59% of the value and 58% of the volume of all wild caught fish and seafood sold in the UK retail in the period from April 2022 to March 2023. This is up from 54% and 51% respectively the preceding year.
Whitefish remained dominant, accounting for 59% of sales of MSC products in 2023. Atlantic cod, walleye pollock, and haddock are once again the three most sold MSC species in the UK and Ireland by a distance.
MSC labelled frozen and preserved products saw growth, while chilled products witnessed the steepest decline in sales.
Seth McCurry, MSC UK & Ireland senior commercial manager, said: “The 2023 edition of our Market Report highlights the progress that has been made by the fish and seafood industry in the UK and Ireland in furthering its commitment to championing sustainability in several areas.”
