© SSPO
Sales jumped by 7.2 percent in the 12 months to August, accounting for almost a third of all fish sales in the UK. The year-on-year growth for salmon was almost double the 3.7 percent rise recorded across the wider fish category. The trade body Salmon Scotland attributed the results to robust demand and strong consumer confidence in Scottish salmon – raised in the waters off the Highlands and islands.
Market dominance and export strength
Salmon maintained its leading position in the seafood sector, holding 32 percent of the total value share. It sold nearly three times more than cod, its closest competitor. Salmon is also well ahead of both tuna and shrimp, underlining its continued appeal to consumers.
Scottish salmon also remains the UK’s largest food export, with international sales on track to break through the £1 billion barrier for the first time this year. Recent figures show that salmon exports from Scotland rose by 33 percent to £941 million in the rolling 12 months to the end of June.
Expert dietitians recommend that adults and children should eat two weekly servings of fish – and one of these should be oily fish, like salmon. A single portion of Scottish salmon provides more than 70 percent of daily vitamin D needs – particularly important during winter, when the lack of sunshine in Scotland makes it harder for humans to produce it naturally.
“With salmon now accounting for nearly a third of all fish sales in the UK, it’s clear that more people are choosing it for its health benefits and sustainability. This consumer demand is great news for the nation’s health and the economy, supporting thousands of jobs across Scotland’s rural and coastal communities,” said Tavish Scott, chief executive of Salmon Scotland, in a press release.
