About this report
 
As consumers become more aware of their diet, they look to healthy, convenient and indulgent products. This recent trend has helped the UK seafood market to grow steadily since 1997.
 

 
In this report, Mintel examines the UK seafood industry, offering detailed information on the market, consumer trends and competition within the major retailers.
 

 
New product developments and novel formats are proving popular with consumers, as convenience is stimulating demand. Findings show that fresh/chilled products remain a favourite, especially prawns.
 

 
Consumer research provides information on core seafood consumers, who will stimulate continued sales. Innovation that addresses consumers’ demands for healthy yet indulgent seafood products is likely to impact positively on sales in the future.
 

 

Contents
 

 
Introduction and Abbreviations
 

 
Definition
 
Consumer research
 
Lifestage and Special Groups
 
Advertising data
 
Abbreviations
 
Executive Summary
 
Healthy option
 
Something special
 
Changing to chilled
 
Premium innovation but limited support
 
A celebration food
 
Chain supremacy
 
Sustaining the industry
 
Building a younger profile
 
Positive outlook
 
Market Drivers
 
A premium food for a premium consumer
 
Figure 1: PDI and consumer expenditure, at constant 1999 prices, 1999-2008
 
Moving upmarket
 
Figure 2: Trends and projections in the UK population, by socio-economic group, 1999-2008
 
A prawn for all seasons
 
Targeting health
 
The benefits of health awareness
 
Low-carb and more crab
 
Health issues cut both ways
 
Water content
 
Antibiotics
 
Toxins
 
Population and consumer preferences
 
Figure 3: Trends and projections in UK population, by age group, 1999-2008
 
The changing British diet
 
Figure 4: UK workforce in employment, by gender, 1999-2008
 
The seafood stranger
 
Just not a family favourite
 
Figure 5: UK households and one-person households, 1999-2008
 
Retail developments
 
Seafood sourcing
 
Sustainability matters
 
Retail responsibility
 
Market Size and Trends
 
Figure 6: UK retail sales of seafood, by value and volume, 1999-2004
 
A premium on pre-prepared
 
Thrilled by chilled
 
Figure 7: UK retail sales of frozen and chilled seafood, by value and volume, 2002 and 2004
 
Value vs volume
 
Market Segmentation
 

 
Frozen seafood
 
Figure 8: UK retail sales of frozen seafood, by value and volume, 1999-2004
 
Premium on prawns
 
Figure 9: GB retail sales of frozen seafood, by type, by value, 2003 and 2004
 
Traditional revival
 
Chilled seafood
 
Figure 10: UK retail sales of chilled seafood, by value and volume, 1999-2004
 
Prawns – a familiar face
 
Figure 11: GB retail sales of chilled seafood, by species and value, 2003 and 2004
 
A broad ‘other’
 
Canned/bottled seafood
 
Figure 12: UK retail sales of canned/bottled seafood, by value and volume, 1999-2004
 
The Supply Structure
 
Home production and foreign trade
 
Own-label increases dominance
 
Figure 13: UK retail sales of seafood, by manufacturers’ share, 2002 and 2004
 
Young’s Bluecrest
 
Young’s acquisitions
 
Technological advances
 
Lyons Seafood
 
Plans to expand
 
Innovation awards
 
John West
 
Coldwater Seafood
 
Dawnfresh Seafoods
 
Anchor Seafoods
 
The Big Prawn Company
 
Seiko Foods
 
Other suppliers
 
New Product Development
 

 
Launch trends
 
Figure 14: Number of new product launches by brand, 2004
 
Coaxing convenience
 
Premium positioning
 
Boosting variety
 
Figure 15: Number of new product launches by seafood species, 2004
 
New product briefs
 
August 2004
 
July 2004
 
June 2004
 
May 2004
 
April 2004
 
March 2004
 
January 2004
 
Advertising and Promotion
 
Above the line
 
Young’s dominates seafood spend
 
Figure 16: Main monitored media spend on advertising seafood, 1999-2004
 
TV support
 
Below the line
 
A taste of the action
 
Raising the profile
 
Promotions with principles
 
Price-based offers dominate
 
Figure 17: Initiatives in below-the-line promotion of seafood, June 2004
 
Distribution
 
Figure 18: UK retail sales of seafood, by type of outlet, by value, 2002 and 2004
 
Multiples get fresh
 
A helping hand
 
Training initiatives
 
The declining ‘other’
 
The Consumer
 
Establishing frequency
 
Figure 19: Frequency of eating fresh, frozen or canned seafood, July 2004
 
In it to win it
 
Analysing consumption
 
Male dominance
 
A mature user base
 
Absence from the young
 
Stretching the family budget
 
A richer diet
 
Preparation
 
Figure 20: Preparation of seafood at home, July 2004
 
A frozen domain
 
Seafood for the summer
 
Analysing preparation
 
Female and versatile
 
Bulking out the family budget
 
Pre-/no family PDI
 
Feeding the workers
 
More money, more variety
 
Feeling flush, buying fresh
 
Freezing for the family
 
The Consumer – Detailed Demographics
 
Figure 21: Frequency of in-home seafood consumption, by gender, age, socio-economic group, region and ACORN categories, July 2004
 
Figure 22: Frequency of in-home seafood consumption, by lifestage, presence of children, Mintel's Special Groups, marital status, working status and household size, July 2004
 
Figure 23: Frequency of in-home seafood consumption, by commercial TV viewing, media usage and supermarket usage, July 2004
 
Figure 24: Preparation of seafood in home, by gender, age, socio-economic group, region and ACORN categories, July 2004
 
Figure 25: Preparation of seafood in home, by lifestage, presence of children, Mintel's Special Groups, marital status, working status and household size, July 2004
 
Figure 26: Preparation of seafood in home, by media usage, commercial TV viewing and supermarket usage, July 2004
 
Figure 27: Preparation of seafood in home, by gender, age, socio-economic group, region and ACORN categories, July 2004
 
Figure 28: Preparation of seafood in home, by lifestage, presence of children, Mintel's Special Groups, marital status, working status and household size, July 2004
 
Figure 29: Preparation of seafood in home, by media usage, commercial TV viewing and supermarket usage, July 2004
 
The Future
 
Moving on, trading up
 
Boosting visibility
 
Get ready
 
Maintaining a premium
 
Changing behaviour
 
Targeting the smaller household
 
A responsible future
 
Forecast
 

 
Chilled sector will dominate the market
 
Figure 40: Forecast of the UK seafood market, value sales, by sector, 2004-09
 
Borrowing from the fish counter
 
Rising affluence hits frozen sector
 
Flagging cans
 
Steady volume rise
 
Figure 41: Forecast of the UK seafood market, volume sales, by sector, 2004-09
 
Growing the base
 
Catch-up on convenience
 
Factors used in the forecast