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Seafood Retailers in the UK - Market Research Report (2014-2029)

Gaetana Mak Gaetana Mak London, United Kingdom Last Updated: April 2024 SIC G47.230

Revenue

£497.1m

2024-25

£524.9m

Past 5-Year Growth

Profit

£XX.Xm

Employees

2,532

Businesses

1,102

Wages

£XX.Xm

Seafood Retailers in the UK industry analysis

Health-conscious consumers are driving seafood thanks to its low saturated fat and rich nutrient content. Despite recommendations for increased consumption, specialist seafood retailers face intense competition. Consumers have more choices than ever to buy seafood, as supermarkets and online retailers continue to broaden their selections and threaten seafood retailers continuously. Supermarkets attract consumers with convenient 'fish-monger' experiences and a broad selection of options, backed by strong buying power. This allows supermarkets to negotiate competitive prices with fisheries, preserving their profit margins. Over the five years through 2023-24, revenue is expected to inch upwards at a compound annual rate of 0.7%.

Trends and Insights

  • Competition from supermarkets threatens the industry. Supermarkets are increasingly incorporating in-store fish counters; with more power when negotiating the landing price of produce with fisheries, their prices are more competitive than specialist seafood retailers.
  • Demand for fresh and frozen fish is high. These products have risen in popularity because of ease of access and growth in the number of consumers transitioning to healthier lifestyles.
  • Scotland is an excellent region for fresh seafood. Scotland is close to the North Sea, rich in seafood like Salmon, Haddock, Cod, Herring, Scallops, Lobsters and Crabs, which means retailers base themselves there to be close to the source.
  • Price is the principal basis of competition. While seafood retailers aim to maintain healthy profit, they need to ensure that their pricing strategies continue attracting customers, mainly when competitors are nearby.

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  • Market estimates from 2014-2029
  • Critical performance data and rankings
  • Detailed analysis of competitive forces and the external environment
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Industry Statistics and Trends

Market size and recent performance (2014-2029)

Industry revenue has grown at a CAGR of 0.7 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated £497.1m in 2024.

Trends and Insights

Fierce competition from supermarkets that retail seafood products continue to threaten the industry

  • Supermarket chains are increasingly incorporating in-store fish counters that offer greater convenience by providing the ‘fish-monger' experience in the store.
  • Additional trends and insights available with purchase
Seafood Retailers in the UK
Revenue (2014-2029)
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry outlook (2024-2029)

Market size is projected to grow over the next five years.

Trends and Insights

Government policies will likely create concerns further upstream

  • Following Brexit, the British government has had to renegotiate the legal framework for catching fish between UK and EU waters through the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement.

Biggest companies in the Seafood Retailers in the UK

Company
Market Share (%)
2024
Revenue (£m)
2024
Furness Fish Markets Ltd
2.0
Furness Fish Markets Ltd
1.3
The Sea The Sea Group Ltd
0.6

To view the market share and analysis for all 5 top companies in this industry, view purchase options.

Products & Services Segmentation

Seafood Retailers in the UK
Products & Services
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including Fresh and frozen fish, Fresh and frozen shellfish and Canned seafood. Fresh and frozen fish is the largest segment of the Seafood Retailers in the UK.

Trends and Insights

Convenience and accessibility drives demand for fresh and frozen fish

  • The fresh and frozen fish product segment includes a wide variety of fish, with the four most common being tuna, cod, salmon, and haddock.
  • More insights available in the full report

Table of Contents

About this industry

Industry definition

The industry consists of specialised retailers that sell fish, shellfish and molluscs. This seafood can be sold in a natural chilled state, filleted, smoked, salted, curried or in ready-to-eat meals to be cooked at home. This industry excludes the retail sale of seafood by mass retailers such as supermarkets and department stores.

What's included in this industry?

FishShellfishMolluscsSeafood for cooking

Companies

Furness Fish Markets LtdFurness Fish Markets LtdThe Sea The Sea Group Ltd

Purchase this report to view all 5 major companies in this industry.

Related Terms

SHELLFISHAQUACULTURELANDING PRICEDISCARDING

Industry Code

SIC 2007

SIC 47.23 - Seafood Retailers in the UK

Performance

Get an indication of the industry's health through historical, current and forward-looking trends in the performance indicators that make or break businesses.

Analyst insights

Competition from supermarkets threatens the industry. Supermarkets are increasingly incorporating in-store fish counters; with more power when negotiating the landing price o...

In this chapter (4)

  • Current Performance
  • Outlook
  • Volatility
  • Life Cycle

Key metrics

  • Annual Revenue, Recent Growth, Forecast, Revenue Volatility
  • Number of Employees, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Employee
  • Number of Businesses, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Business
  • Total Profit, Profit Margin, Profit per Business

Charts

  • Revenue, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Employees, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Businesses, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Profit, including historical (2014-2024)
  • Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth
  • Industry Life Cycle

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in supply, demand and current events that are driving current industry performance
  • Expected trends, economic factors and ongoing events that drive the industry's outlook
  • Key success factors for businesses to overcome volatility
  • How contribution to GDP, industry saturation, innovation, consolidation, and technology and systems influence the industry's life cycle phase.

Products and Markets

Learn about an industry's products and services, markets and trends in international trade.

Analyst insight

Demand for fresh and frozen fish is high. These products have risen in popularity because of ease of access and growth in the number of consumers transitioning to healthier l...

In this chapter

  • Products & Services
  • Major Markets

Key metrics

  • Largest market segment and value in 2024
  • Product innovation level

Charts

  • Products & services segmentation in 2024
  • Major market segmentation in 2024

Detailed analysis

  • Trends impacting the recent performance of the industry's various segments
  • Innovations in the industry's product or service offering, specialization or delivery method
  • Key factors that successful businesses consider in their offerings
  • Buying segments and key trends influencing demand for industry products and services

Geographic Breakdown

Discover where business activity is most concentrated in an industry and the factors driving these trends to find opportunities and conduct regional benchmarking.

Analyst insights

Scotland is an excellent region for fresh seafood. Scotland is close to the North Sea, rich in seafood like Salmon, Haddock, Cod, Herring, Scallops, Lobsters and Crabs, which...

In this chapter (1)

  • Business Locations

Charts

  • Share of revenue, establishment, wages and employment in each region
  • Share of population compared to establishments in each region in 2024

Tables

  • Number and share of establishments in each region in 2024
  • Number and share of revenue each region accounts for in 2024
  • Number and share of wages each region accounts for in 2024
  • Number and share of employees in each region in 2024

Detailed analysis

  • Geographic spread of the industry across Europe, and trends associated with changes in the business landscape
  • Key success factors for businesses to use location to their advantage

Competitive Forces

Get data and insights on what's driving competition in an industry and the challenges industry operators and new entrants may face, with analysis built around Porter's Five Forces framework.

Analyst insights

Price is the principal basis of competition. While seafood retailers aim to maintain healthy profit, they need to ensure that their pricing strategies continue attracting cus...

In this chapter (4)

  • Concentration
  • Barriers to Entry
  • Substitutes
  • Buyer & Supplier Analysis

Key metrics

  • Industry concentration level
  • Industry competition level and trend
  • Barriers to entry level and trend
  • Substitutes level and trend
  • Buyer power level and trend
  • Supplier power level and trend

Charts

  • Market share concentration among the top 4 suppliers from 2019-2024
  • Supply chain including upstream supplying industries and downstream buying industries, flow chart

Detailed analysis

  • Factors impacting the industry’s level of concentration, such as business distribution, new entrants, or merger and acquisition activity.
  • Key success factors for businesses to manage the competitive environment of the industry.
  • Challenges that potential industry entrants face such as legal, start-up costs, differentiation, labor/capital intensity and capital expenses.
  • Key success factors for potential entrants to overcome barriers to entry.
  • Competitive threats from potential substitutes for the industry’s own products and services.
  • Key success factors for how successful businesses can compete with substitutes.
  • Advantages that buyers have to keep favorable purchasing conditions.
  • Advantages that suppliers have to maintain favorable selling conditions.
  • Key success factors for how businesses can navigate buyer and supplier power.

Companies

Learn about the performance of the top companies in the industry.

Analyst insights

The Seafood Retailers industry is highly fragmented. It consists mainly of independent fishmongers and no company generates enough revenue to dominate the industry and no pla...

In this chapter

  • Market Share Concentration
  • Companies
  • Company Spotlights

Charts

  • Industry market share by company in 2020 through 2024
  • Major companies in the industry, including market share, revenue, profit and profit margin in 2024
  • Overview of Furness Fish Markets Ltd's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
  • Overview of Furness Fish Markets Ltd's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
  • Overview of The Sea The Sea Group Ltd's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
  • Overview of revenue, market share and profit margin trend for 2 additional companies

Detailed analysis

  • Description and key data for Furness Fish Markets Ltd, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description and key data for Furness Fish Markets Ltd, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description and key data for The Sea The Sea Group Ltd, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description, key data and performance trends for 2 additional companies

External Environment

Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.   

Analyst insights

Demand from supermarkets is increasing in 2023-24. Supermarkets are the main source of external competition for seafood retailers, therefore if demand from supermarkets rises...

In this chapter

  • External Drivers
  • Regulation & Policy
  • Assistance

Key metrics

  • Regulation & policy level and trend
  • Assistance level and trend

Charts

  • Regulation & Policy historical data and forecast (2014-2029) 
  • Assistance historical data and forecast (2014-2029) 

Detailed analysis

  • Demographic and macroeconomic factors influencing the industry, including Regulation & Policy and Assistance
  • Major types of regulations, regulatory bodies, industry standards or specific regulations impacting requirements for industry operators
  • Key governmental and non-governmental groups or policies that may provide some relief for industry operators.

Financial Benchmarks

View average costs for industry operators and compare financial data against an industry's financial benchmarks over time. 

Analyst insights

Profit is constrained by the rising catch price of seafood. Catch prices have increased because of factors including UK & EU fisheries regulation and changeable weather. Give...

In this chapter

  • Cost Structure
  • Financial Ratios
  • Key Ratios

Key metrics

  • Profit margin, and how it compares to the sector-wide margin
  • Average wages, and how it compares to the sector-wide average wage
  • Largest cost component as a percentage of revenue
  • Industry average ratios for days' receivables, industry coverage and debt-to-net-worth ratio

Charts

  • Average industry operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
  • Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
  • Investment vs. share of economy

Data tables

  • Liquidity Ratios (2018-2022)
  • Coverage Ratios (2018-2022)
  • Leverage Ratios  (2018-2022)
  • Operating Ratios (2018-2022)
  • Assets (2018-2022)
  • Liabilities (2018-2022)
  • Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2014-2029)
  • Revenue per Employee (2014-2029)
  • Revenue per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • Employees per Establishment (2014-2029)
  • Employees per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • Average Wage (2014-2029)
  • Wages/Revenue (2014-2029)
  • Establishments per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • IVA/Revenue (2014-2029)
  • Imports/Demand (2014-2029)
  • Exports/Revenue (2014-2029)

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in the cost component for industry operators and their impact on industry costs and profitability 

Key Statistics

Industry Data

Data Tables

Including values and annual change:

  • Revenue (2014-2029)
  • IVA (2014-2029)
  • Establishments (2014-2029)
  • Enterprises (2014-2029)
  • Employment (2014-2029)
  • Exports (2014-2029)
  • Imports (2014-2029)
  • Wages (2014-2029)

Top Questions Answered

Unlock comprehensive answers and precise data upon purchase. View purchase options.

What is the market size of the Seafood Retailers in the UK industry in United Kingdom in 2024?

The market size of the Seafood Retailers in the UK industry in United Kingdom is £497.1m in 2024.

How many businesses are there in the Seafood Retailers in the UK industry in 2024?

There are 1,102 businesses in the Seafood Retailers in the UK industry in United Kingdom, which has declined at a CAGR of 0.8 % between 2019 and 2024.

Has the Seafood Retailers in the UK industry in United Kingdom grown or declined over the past 5 years?

The market size of the Seafood Retailers in the UK industry in United Kingdom has been growing at a CAGR of 0.7 % between 2019 and 2024.

What is the forecast growth of the Seafood Retailers in the UK industry in United Kingdom over the next 5 years?

Over the next five years, the Seafood Retailers in the UK industry in United Kingdom is expected to grow.

What are the biggest companies in the Seafood Retailers in the UK market in United Kingdom?

The biggest companies operating in the Seafood Retailers market in United Kingdom are Furness Fish Markets Ltd, Furness Fish Markets Ltd and The Sea The Sea Group Ltd

What does the Seafood Retailers in the UK in United Kingdom include?

Fish and Shellfish are part of the Seafood Retailers in the UK industry.

Which companies have the highest market share in the Seafood Retailers in the UK in United Kingdom?

The company holding the most market share in United Kingdom is Furness Fish Markets Ltd.

How competitive is the Seafood Retailers in the UK industry in United Kingdom?

The level of competition is high and increasing in the Seafood Retailers in the UK industry in United Kingdom.

Related Industries

Widen your competitive advantage with related industries

Competitors

  • Supermarkets in the UK
  • Butchers in the UK

Complementors

  • Marine Fishing in the UK
  • Seafood Processing in the UK

International industries

  • Fish & Seafood Markets in the US
  • Specialty Food Stores in Canada
  • Fresh Meat, Fish and Poultry Retailing in Australia
  • Specialised Grocery Retailing in New Zealand

View all industries in United Kingdom

Methodology

How are IBISWorld reports created?

IBISWorld has been a leading provider of trusted industry research for over 50 years to the most successful companies worldwide. With offices in Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and China, we are proud to have local teams of analysts that conduct research, data analysis and forecasting to produce data-driven industry reports.

Our analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build the most accurate picture of each industry. Analysts then leverage their expertise and knowledge of the local markets to synthesize trends into digestible content for IBISWorld readers. Finally, each report is reviewed by one of IBISWorld’s editors, who provide quality assurance to ensure accuracy and readability.

IBISWorld relies on human-verified data and human-written analysis to compile each standard industry report. We do not use generative AI tools to write insights, although members can choose to leverage AI-based tools within the platform to generate additional analysis formats.

What data sources do IBISWorld analysts use?

Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and our own proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights.

Key data sources in the UK include:

  • Office for National Statistics
  • Office for Budget Responsibility
  • Bank of England

Analysts also use industry specific sources to complement catch-all sources, although their perspective may focus on a particular organization or representative body, rather than a clear overview of all industry operations. However, when balanced against other perspectives, industry-specific sources provide insights into industry trends.

These sources include:

  • Industry and trade associations
  • Industry federations or regulators
  • Major industry players annual or quarterly filings

Finally, IBISWorld’s global data scientists maintain a proprietary database of macroeconomic and demand drivers, which our analysts use to help inform industry data and trends. They also maintain a database of statistics and analysis on thousands of industries, which has been built over our more than 50-year history and offers comprehensive insights into long-term trends.

How does IBISWorld forecast its data?

IBISWorld’s analysts and data scientists use the sources above to create forecasts for our proprietary datasets and industry statistics. Depending on the dataset, they may use regression analysis, multivariate analysis, time-series analysis or exponential smoothing techniques to project future data for the industry or driver. Additionally, analysts will leverage their local knowledge of industry operating and regulatory conditions to impart their best judgment on the forecast model.

IBISWorld prides itself on being a trusted, independent source of data, with over 50 years of experience building and maintaining rich datasets and forecasting tools. We are proud to be the keystone source of industry information for thousands of companies across the world.

Learn more about our methodology and data sourcing on the Help Center.