UK retailers report growth in certified seafood sales

Spending on seafood certified by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) increased by 14% in UK supermarkets in 2024-25, according to the organisation’s latest market report.

The MSC UK and Ireland Market Report states that consumers spent £1.7bn on 189,000 tonnes of products carrying the blue ecolabel over the year, with 63% of wild-caught fish and seafood sold in the UK now featuring its certification. UK supermarkets are selling 948 MSC-labelled own-brand lines, bringing the total number of certified products close to 1,000.

The report attributes much of this growth to tuna. The number of MSC-certified skipjack tuna products available in the UK doubled over the past year, with sales of canned and jarred MSC-labelled tuna soaring from £24.3m in 2020-21 to £269.1m in 2024-25, while volumes increased from 2,461 tonnes to 37,027 tonnes over the same period.

Meanwhile, other major fish species are also widely certified, the MSC said, with 80% of cod, cold-water prawns and mussels sold in UK supermarkets carrying the MSC label. Fish fingers account for one of the highest shares, with 88% of products bearing the ecolabel.

The MSC report also notes that the range of certified species on sale also expanded, with 49 certified species available last year. New additions in 2025 include banana prawns, Argentine red shrimp and Chilean jack mackerel.

Preserved products accounted for a large share of the growth in spending. Two thirds of the increase in consumer outlay on MSC products in 2024-25 came from this category. UK shoppers spent £339m on cans, tins and jars of MSC-labelled fish, representing a 64% rise on the previous year.

“With almost a quarter of UK consumers (22%) telling us they won’t buy fish unless it’s sustainable, it’s no surprise to see sales of MSC-labelled products continue to rise significantly," said Seth McCurry, MSC UK and Ireland Senior Commercial Manager.

“Retailers aren’t just listening to their customers either, they’re also working incredibly closely with the fishing industry to ensure there’s a greater range of MSC certified species on their shelves, including locally caught fish and seafood,” he added.

According to the MSC, eight of the 10 largest UK supermarkets increased the proportion of their wild seafood ranges sold as MSC certified in 2024-25. Sainsbury’s had the widest selection, with 208 labelled products, 21 more than the previous year. The retailer increased the share of its wild seafood range carrying the MSC label to 81%.

Iceland also expanded its MSC-labelled range during the year and, in late 2025, became the first frozen food retailer globally to source all of its own-brand wild fish and seafood from MSC-certified fisheries, the organisation said.

While availability in supermarkets has grown, the MSC suggests there remains scope to introduce the ecolabel into other categories such as pet food and supplements, which rely on marine ingredients.