Spending on certified sustainable seafood hit a record-breaking £1.5 billion in the UK and Ireland last year (2023/24), despite the ongoing impacts of the cost of living crisis. This growth in purchasing marks a 12% increase from the previous year, according to a new report published today.
The major milestone signifies the largest annual growth in spending on sustainable fish and seafood products and menu items carrying the Marine Stewardship Council’s (MSC) blue ecolabel 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.
The UK retail sector remains committed to sourcing and selling certified sustainable seafood and meeting the expectations of UK consumers. Nine of the 10 leading UK supermarkets sold 121,383 tonnes of MSC-certified seafood under their own brands last year—an 8% increase from the previous year and a new all-time high.
Shoppers spent £1.128 billion on MSC-certified fish and seafood under retailer own-brand products, a 13% rise from 2022/23 and the first time sales exceeded the £1 billion mark. Awareness of the blue ecolabel is now at 51% among UK consumers, up from 48% in 2022.
Despite significant retail achievements in the past year, untapped potential still remains in the foodservice sector, where just 3.55% of fish and seafood carried the MSC ecolabel last year.
Highlights from the MSC’s 2024 Market Report being released today include:
- Diverse Species Growth: A record 49 species carried the MSC ecolabel last year, with silver smelt appearing in UK stores for the first time thanks to product innovation from Birds Eye.
- Frozen, Preserved, & Ready Meals: These categories alone contributed two-thirds of the increase in consumer spending on MSC-labelled products.
- Tuna on the Rise: UK shoppers purchased over 23,500 tonnes of MSC-certified tuna, representing 38% of all tuna sold in supermarkets. Projections suggest this could exceed 40,000 tonnes in 2024/25.
Research from the MSC* highlights shifting consumer attitudes toward ocean health. While only a third of UK seafood consumers believe the oceans can be saved from irreparable damage within 20 years (down from 50% in 2022), their commitment to sustainability when buying fish and seafood remains steadfast. In the UK, over half (55%) of seafood consumers say the blue MSC ecolabel makes them more likely to purchase a product, and 53% say that they are prepared to pay more for products that come from a certified sustainable fishery.
“With the UK public becoming increasingly concerned about the future of our oceans, the record-breaking £1.5 billion 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 ten now featuring the blue MSC ecolabel on over 50% of their own-brand wild seafood offerings. Sainsbury’s led the way, winning the Supermarket of the Year 2024 - Gold Award at the 11th annual MSC UK Awards, held in Plymouth. With 187 MSC-labelled products and 79% of its wild seafood range certified—the return of its tuna range to 100% MSC certified marked major change in the sector.
Iceland, awarded Silver, grew its MSC-labelled products from 30 to 46, with 73% of its own-brand products now MSC certified. Lidl took home Bronze and third place, with 146 MSC-labelled products, up from 121 in 2023.
The report also celebrates notable achievements by MSC certified fisheries, including the recertification of the Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland bottom-grown mussel fisheries and the Falkland Islands toothfish fishery. Grants from MSC’s Ocean Stewardship Fund supported the sustainability journeys of several UK and Irish fisheries.
* MSC GlobeScan Seafood Consumer Survey 2024