Boden ad campaign highlights public confusion over wild and farmed salmon.
A backlash against fashion retailer Boden’s latest ad campaign has revealed how blurred the public’s understanding of salmon has become, after images of models posing with dead fish drew anger from conservationists and anglers.
The campaign, shot in rural Wales and posted on Instagram, shows models in Fair Isle knitwear and tartan kilts holding salmon and fishing rods. The images were condemned by fishing guides and conservation charities, who said they were “massively irresponsible” at a time when wild Atlantic salmon numbers in British rivers are at record lows.
But the controversy also exposed a deeper confusion about what kind of salmon most people now encounter. Critics accused Boden of using farmed fish “from a supermarket fish counter”, while others assumed the fish were wild — underlining how far the distinction between wild and farmed salmon has faded in public perception.
According to The Telegraph, which first reported the story, the Atlantic Salmon Trust estimates that wild salmon stocks in Britain have fallen by around 70 percent in recent decades. The charity and others warned that the species could vanish from UK rivers within 30 years.
“The fact that a national brand can feature dead salmon in a lifestyle campaign without realising the implications tells you everything about public awareness,” said one processor contacted by SalmonBusiness. “For most consumers, salmon simply means something orange in a packet.”
While critics linked the fish in Boden’s campaign to aquaculture and its alleged impact on wild stocks, the farmed salmon industry disputes that connection, pointing to improved lice control and escape prevention.
Boden, founded in 1991 by Johnnie Boden, has built its image around British countryside chic and counts the Princess of Wales among its customers.
