Warmwater shrimp maintained its fourth place slot in UK seafood sales during the 52 weeks through July 16, but falling volumes widened the gap between it and tuna, its closest rival, according to the latest data from market research company Nielsen.
The volume of warmwater shrimp sales fell 7.2 percent to 25,800 metric tons, while value dropped 4.4 percent to £391 million (€450.8 million/$443 million), tucking it further behind third place tuna, whose sales volume shot up 11.4 percent and whose value decrease was less severe at 2.5 percent.
Rising prices are quelling demand for farmed shrimp, with price per kilo rising by 3 percent to £15.15 (€17.47/$17.17). Price per unit was also up by 2.6 percent to £3.09 (€3.56/$3.50).
Still a relatively new product in the UK compared with the other top 10 species in the market, warmwater shrimp still finds its most comfortable home in the chilled-seafood case, with 63 percent of sales volume plucked from the fridge in UK supermarkets.
Chilled sales were less severely affected than frozen, with a fall of 6.6 percent in the 52 weeks to July 16 to 16,198 metric tons.
Frozen sales, by comparison, dived 14.4 percent to just above half of chilled volumes, at 8,619 metric tons.
Prices rose in the chilled segment by 3.8 percent to £16.52 (€19.05/$18.72) per kilo, with price per unit up 2.4 percent to £3.06 (€3.53/$3.47).
Frozen prices rose 4.4 percent to £8.23 (€9.49/$9.33) per kilo, while price per unit rose 3.8 percent to £3.31 (€3.82/$3.75).
Further clouds on the horizon suggest demand for warmwater shrimp in the UK market will only slow further thanks to spiralling inflation.
Meanwhile, coldwater shrimp sales ranked 7th on the list of top-selling species and slipped 5 percent to 14,438 metric tons at a 1.1 percent lower value of £187.8 million (€216.5 million/$212.8 million). Price per kilo rose 4 percent to £13.01 (€15/$14.74).
Chilled sales of coldwater shrimp, however, represented one of the few area to see an increases. Sales volume rose 2.4 percent to 8,364 metric tons. Value rose 4.9 percent to £118.8 million (€137 million/$134.6 million). This was despite a 2.5 percent price per kilo increase to £14.20 (€16.37/$16.09).
The frozen coldwater shrimp segment, however, was a different story, with sales volume falling 9 percent to 7,132 metric tons. Value fell 4 percent to £66.8 million (€77 million/$75.7 million), with price per kilo falling 5.5 percent to £9.36 (€10.79/$10.61).
Last month, the UK government announced the granting of additional autonomous tariff quotas (ATQs) for coldwater shrimp imports for the remainder of 2022, following pleas from the industry.
The government is allocating a further 3,200 metric tons on top of the original 6,500 metric tons ATQ for the period Oct. 13 to Dec. 31.
A further announcement about the volume of ATQs for coldwater prawns that will be allowed for 2023 is expected soon.
The additional quotas come amid concerns from the industry that buyers would soon have to start paying 20 percent tariffs on imports.
