Salmon now accounts for nearly a third of all UK fish sales.
Salmon sales in the United Kingdom rose to £1.5 billion in 2024, maintaining the fish’s position as the leading product in the country’s seafood sector, according to new figures released by industry body Salmon Scotland.
Sales grew by 5.5 percent year-on-year, outpacing the 2.9 percent growth recorded across the broader fish category. Salmon now accounts for 31 percent of the total value of fish sales in the UK, nearly three times the sales value of cod, its closest competitor.
Volume sales also rose by 5.8 percent to 73,405 tonnes, making salmon the top-selling fish by volume nationwide. Salmon now represents almost one in five tonnes of fish sold in the UK, underlining its status as a popular low-carbon source of protein.
Despite activist campaigns targeting the industry, consumer confidence remains strong, Salmon Scotland said. Scottish salmon, farmed in the Highlands and Islands, also remained the UK’s largest food export, with overseas sales rising by 45 percent to a record £844 million in 2024.
Tavish Scott, chief executive of Salmon Scotland, said the results highlighted continued trust in Scottish salmon’s quality and farming practices.
The figures were sourced from Seafish, ScanTrack, Salmon Scotland and HMRC trade statistics.