Only a few years ago sushi was considered a luxury and as such could only be found in specialist stores and restaurants.
Andy Gray, Marketing Manager at Seafish, said: “Sushi has been doing extremely well as a newcomer to the lunch menu and has become a mainstream item – albeit one with an ‘exclusive’ quality.
“Our research shows that people are buying sushi for its aspirational values – it’s seen as exotic, healthy and trendy. It is mostly young people aged between 16-22 that dominate the market but there is emerging growth in the older age categories as well.”
Waitrose Sushi Buyer, David Stone, adds: “With its low calorie count and nutritional benefits, shoppers are going against the grain and looking for more than just bread in their lunch hour. Oily fish is rich in vitamins and Omega-3 fats which have benefits for both body and brain making it the perfect midday snack.
“Our customers want quality food with the highest welfare standards so it’s great to be able to offer sushi that carries the Marine Stewardship Council mark of reassurance.”
According to Seafish, those in London are the UK’s biggest sushi fans, with a 40 per cent share of the market, however Scotland is catching up with the highest year-on-year growth at 30%.
Sushi: UK Catch of the Day
UK - New research from Seafish reveals that sushi is now an establishedlunchtime favourite. Sales of sushi are up 21 per cent year on year, with the total UK sushi market now worth 38.9 million per annum.
