reLAKSation 276.                                                           Callander McDowell 

Christmas Offers: In the run up to Christmas, British supermarkets have again offered salmon at discounted prices. We have summarised the offers below and have provided the data from 2004 and 2005 for comparison. Prices for the years 2000 to 2003 can be found at www.callandermcdowell.co.uk/relaks224.html . It is evident that these Christmas offers have changed little over the whole of this period with most supermarkets repeating the same discounts offered in previous years. This is despite higher salmon prices throughout 2006. Whilst we have focused on the price of whole salmon, the reality is that for much of the year, most supermarkets do not bother offering whole salmon at all unless it is ordered in advance. This is because most consumers now buy salmon fillets and these are subject to a wide range of discounts in the run up to Christmas.

(Sainsburys's circular)                                                                                                  (Somerfield magazine)

This contrasts with the summer months of 2006 when few if any discounts were available at all. Hopefully, more promotions and lower prices will help encourage more consumers to buy salmon.  Details of all promotions can be found in our retail survey. Please contact us for more information at  office@callandermcdowell.co.uk

Christmas prices for whole salmon are summarised as follows, together with the prices recorded in the two previous years:

Asda.

2006 - Whole salmon £10.00 each equating to about £3.40/kg (Approx half price)

2005 - Whole Scottish salmon £2.98/kg (Save £1.40/kg)

2004 - Whole Scottish salmon £3.18/kg (Save £1.20/kg)

Morrisons:

2006 - Whole Scottish salmon £5.99/kg (Standard price)

Whilst Morrison’s did not discount salmon over Christmas, they began to do so in this first week of the New Year.

2007 – Whole Scottish salmon £4.49/kg (save £1.50/kg)

2005 - Whole Scottish salmon £4.39/kg (Standard price)

2004 - Whole Scottish salmon £3.99/kg (Standard price)

Sainsburys:

2006 - Whole Scottish salmon £3.49/kg (Save £3.49/kg). Chilled whole prepacked Norwegian or Scottish salmon £3.99/kg (Save £4.00/kg) 

2005 - Whole Scottish salmon £3.49/kg (Save £3.49/kg). Chilled whole prepacked Norwegian or Scottish salmon £3.99/kg (Save £4.00/kg) 

2004 - Whole Scottish salmon £3.28/kg (Save £3.31/kg). Chilled whole prepacked Norwegian or Scottish salmon £3.99/kg (Save £4.00/kg) 

Tesco:

2006 - Whole salmon £3.49/kg (Save £3.49/kg)

2005 - Whole salmon £3.29/kg (Save £3.29/kg)

2004 - Whole salmon £3.18/kg (Save £3.41/kg)

Waitrose:

2006 - Whole Scottish salmon £5.99/kg (Save £1.50/kg)

2005 - Whole Scottish salmon £5.99/kg (Save £1.50/kg)

2004 - Whole Scottish salmon £4.99/kg (Save £2.00/kg)

Up in smoke: Prior to the Christmas holidays, Seafoodintelligence.com reported on the results of a survey by the French consumer magazine Que Choisir. A panel of 10 tasters tried their skills on 22 different smoked salmon products. They found that whilst prices varied greatly, the price and the label were not any indication of quality. However, the panel found that the best smoked salmon was also the most expensive. It was a branded product from Loiseau & Regnault made from Norwegian salmon and then given Label Rouge approval. The cost of this salmon was €67.52/kg. Callander McDowell conducts regular surveys of the French retail sector and we have not actually observed this product. However, we tend to find that in the mainstream supermarkets that we survey, such high priced products are limited in their availability. The most expensive smoked salmon we found was produced by Compange de Saumon and was Scottish in origin, although the Norwegian variety of the same salmon was only cents cheaper. Both products had been awarded Label Rouge.

At the other end of the market, Que Choisir found one smoked salmon at €8.49/kg. They don’t say in the summary whether this was the worst product but our findings would suggest not. The lowest priced smoked salmon we found was € 9.98/kg.

In common with Que Choisir our findings suggest that the bulk of smoked salmon sold in France is priced around the €30/kg mark. As we have discussed previously each brand or own label range usually offers a choice between Norwegian, Scottish and Irish varieties, with the Norwegian being the cheapest and the Irish the most expensive. Our view is that most consumers are probably baffled by the choice on offer.

At Christmas, the choice is made easier as all supermarkets offer smoked salmon on promotion usually with extra product free. A summary of the best deals this Christmas follows: 

 For comparison, we have also listed the best deals available at British supermarkets.

 Asda

Own label 400g - £17.40/kg down to £14.90/kg

Young’s Fraserburgh Smokehouse 400g - £24.97/kg down to £17.45/kg

Budgens

Own label hand carved 150g - £31.26/kg down to £26.60/kg

Coop

Young’s 200g - £34.95/kg down to £17.45/kg

Young’s Fraserburgh Smokehouse 200g - £34.95/kg down to £17.45/kg

Lidl

Ocean Rise 200g - £11.45/kg down to £8.95/kg

Marks & Spencers

Own Label 500g - £23.98/kg down to £17.98/kg on multi-buy. Other pack sizes on multi-buy too.

Morrisons

Own label Speyside smoked 150g - £33.26/kg down to £26.60/kg

Sainsbury’s

Own label 335g - £32.80/kg down to £16.38/kg

Taste the Difference Isle of Skye 160g - £34.93/kg down to £25.00/kg on multi-buy

Somerfield

Ocean Pure 200g - £29.95/kg down to £14.95/kg 

Tesco

Own label 400g - £29.90/kg down to £14.95/kg

Waitrose

Own label 400g - £29.97/kg down to £19.97/kg

Ghillie & Glen 400g - £29.97/kg down to £19.97/kg

As can be seen, the cheapest smoked salmon available in the UK this Christmas was at Lidl and priced at £8.95/kg. This is more expensive than in France where cheaper smoked salmon can be bought. This Christmas, we also identified the most expensive smoked salmon sold in UK supermarkets. This was Young’s SpeyValley Smokehouse smoked salmon which was priced at a whopping £89.90/kg.

Ringing in seafood: IntraFish offered an insight into US food purchases just before New Year. They suggest that many stores are offering deals on everything from shrimp to crab and from lobster to king crab legs to help consumers celebrate the New Year. This is a slightly misleading picture placing the emphasis on seafood whereas US stores also offered a whole range of fish to tempt consumers as well. The best deal we found was unbeatable with whole tilapia at 99cents/lb. We also found many deals on salmon, mainly farmed but some wild too. Our findings are below and suggest that whilst shrimp and crab may be popular, salmon is too.

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