reLAKSation 454
Twenty pounds a kilo: For the first time since we at Callander McDowell, began to survey the retail sector, the price of salmon fillet has broken through the £20/kg barrier in UK stores. Salmon fillet has previously been sold at a higher price in one or two selected stores but only to fulfil the legal obligation needed to make the claim for a half price promotional offer. This is different. This is for a product sold throughout the United Kingdom, although the product is one that is sold under the retailer’s premium label. It may be a premium product but it is still over £20/kg. To put this in perspective, this salmon is more expensive than the store’s premium label sirloin steak and only a couple of pounds/kg short of the price of fillet steak. This salmon is even more expensive that that sold by supermarkets considered at the premium end of the market.
This week was a turning point in salmon pricing. After a number of weeks in which they resisted change, the mainstream supermarkets all increased the price of salmon. The price increase was not of the scale of that tried by one supermarket last month but ranges from 10-20% depending on the individual product or presentation. Whether these higher prices can be sustained remains to be seen. Already one supermarket has reduced the label price of its value offering, although the pack price remains at the new level. We can only assume that they thought a competing store was not going to increase its prices, or it expects sales to fall and will reduce prices accordingly.
Whilst the kilo price of some products may not seem too unreasonable by some industry watchers, it is the pack price that may better dictate consumer response. For example, a pack of a couple of salmon fillets may now cost £5-£6 whereas a pack of two cod fillets will cost the consumer less than £4 and two basa fillets just £2. A simple meal of salmon now looks very expensive.
IntraFish reports that consumers in Spain are forgoing salmon in favour of cheaper white fish whilst data from NSEC suggests that French consumers continue to stick with salmon despite its higher costs. As to consumers in Britain, the jury is still out as to whether this latest increase will dampen enthusiasm for salmon. Past experience suggests that it will, but meanwhile we can only watch and wait.
Declining consumption: IntraFish report that one common trend between Japan and Norway is the decline in seafood consumption. Ideas to reverse this trend were discussed at a joint meeting in Tokyo.
If the three ideas reported by the Suisan Times are anything to go on, then a lot more thought will be needed to get people to eat more fish and seafood.
The most logical approach is being taken in Norway where there is a five year programme to target kids and teenagers. This began in 2007 so there should be some idea now whether this approach is working.
The ideas from Japan appear to require further thought. One idea is to target the consumers’ unconscious by creating positive associations with words involving seafood. A second idea is to focus on eco-labelled products. Rather than increase consumption, this would increase industry incomes because consumers are willing to pay more for sustainable seafood. Thus the suggestion is that it doesn’t matter if consumption falls because fishermen’s incomes would rise.
So far we, at Callander MCdowel have yet to be persuaded that any consumer is willing to pay more for sustainable seafood so this idea is unlikely to appeal to those seeking to reverse the current trends.
Our view remains unchanged. We can try to persuade consumers to eat more fish and seafood as we have always done or we can look at the way consumption has changed and instead adapt the fish and seafood to fit in with the new consumption patterns.
Rapture: Seafood Scotland have said that after their ‘rapturous’ welcome last year, they decided to double the size of their stand at this year’s Taste of Edinburgh food festival and add a display of fish. Their attendance at the festival is part of the ongoing Scottish Government campaign to persuade Scottish people to ‘Eat More Fish’.
Seafood Scotland say that the show was a huge success with the public getting really excited about seeing the fish display and tasting the samples of Scottish seafood prepared by Chef Eadie Manson from the Adam Smith College in Fife.
We, at Callander McDowell, are not surprised the show was a great success. After all, Seafood Scotland were exhibiting to an enthusiastic ‘foodie’ audience who having paid £12 in advance or £16 on the door were there to see and try anything and everything. In an Scottish TV news item (http://news.stv.tv/scotland/east-central/180245-foodies-enjoy-a-taste-of-edinburgh/ ) Councillor Steve Cardownie of Edinburgh City Council summed up the views of most of those at the show when he said ‘I’m happy to taste anything’.
Sarah Holmyard from Seafood Scotland said that ‘Our bigger presence really paid off this year allowing us to engage with thousands of people to persuade them to ‘Eat More Fish’. However, those who attended the festival didn’t need any persuasion to taste whatever was put in front of them. All already have a keen interest in food and a willingness to experiment and try new things
Using the Taste of Edinburgh festival to promote fish consumption is the easy option. It is a shame that instead of doubling the size of the stand, Seafood Scotland had not used the money to promote healthy fish consumption in the town of Coatbridge instead. As we discussed in reLAKSation no 450, Coatbridge, just 38 miles from Edinburgh is Britain’s (not just Scotland’s) most unhealthy town with 21% of locals having a body mass index of over 30.
The Times reported that one feature of the town is the many fast food restaurants that are popular with locals. Surely, if the Scottish Government really wants Scots to eat more fish, then Coatbridge would be a better place to start than with the affluent foodie types that attended the ‘Taste of Edinburgh’ festival.