Sainsburys launches alternative British fish offer

A brand new fresh fish offering has just landed in 210 Sainsbury’s supermarkets, in a bid to tempt customers to try alternative British fish species, all of which are wild-caught off the South West coast.

‘Fishmonger’s Choice’ includes lesser-known fresh British species such as Whiting, Monkfish and Dover Sole, available in over 200 stores nationwide from November.

The species available will vary according to the seasons, offering customers new species throughout the year, when they’re at their best – and most abundant.

Monkfish and Dover Sole available all year round, while underrated member of the cod family, Whiting, has a shorter season of only November and December. From 2018, the range will include British Pollack followed by Hake and Ling, later in the year.

With the most Brits sticking to the Big Five fish species (the five species of fish and seafood most commonly eaten in the UK are Cod, Haddock, Salmon, Tuna & Prawns),it’s clear there’s a ‘fear factor’ of trying new species. Insights from Sainsbury’s indicate this is mainly down to not knowing how to prepare the fish.

The new labelling used in the Fishmonger’s Choice range offers helpful tips on pack, such as ‘Cook me like cod’ – for the Whiting Fillets – and ‘Cook me like prawns’ – in the case of Monkfish.

Ally Dingwall, Sainsbury’s Aquaculture & Fisheries Manager, said, ‘Fish consumption in the UK is still concentrated on the Big Five – they make up around 70% of our volume sales. So we’ve launched this new range to help shift perception of lesser known species.

‘It’s about making fresh, seasonal, British fish readily available to customers and offering more approachable formats of species like Whiting and Monkfish, so that they can purchase and prepare it with confidence.

‘Our recent work on Cornish Sardines is evidence of where this has already encouraged customers to broaden their horizons.’