It’s been a challenging year for the seafood industry overall, including Norwegian seafood exports to the UK, according to the Norwegian Seafood Council’s UK country director Bjørn-Erik Stabell.
‘Whitefish exports have fallen significantly compared to the same period in 2025. While some of this decline was expected, certain developments have been more negative than anticipated. We expect the second half of the year to bring some improvement, but several obstacles remain before we can accelerate and strengthen the market again,’ he said, commenting that cod exports have declined as predicted, and this negative trend is likely to continue throughout 2026.
‘This is driven by several factors: a 20% reduction in the cod quota, a shrinking overall cod market, fewer servings in the foodservice sector, which remains the most important channel, and increased competition from alternative species and imported cod from other countries.’
He pointed out that there are encouraging signs as farmed cod gains traction in grocery chains such as Sainsbury’s and ASDA, with 173 tonnes exported so far. Volumes are expected to grow further in the autumn.
‘There are also positive developments across the wider value chain. Collaboration between Norwegian exporters and the UK industry remains strong, supported by frequent points of contact. We’re seeing more consistent and clearer origin labelling in retail, particularly for Norwegian cod,’ he said.
‘Together, we continue to emphasise the importance of origin labelling. Clear communication of origin will provide both Norwegian exporters and UK retailers with a competitive advantage – something we believe will become increasingly important going forward.’
Salmon continues to be the chief driver of Norwegian seafood exports to the UK, accounting for 65% of export value in 2025. Growth has been strong across both retail and foodservice, with an 8% increase in in-home consumption and a 20% rise in out-of-home servings. Salmon is now the fastest-growing protein in foodservice, measured by the number of servings.
‘This strong demand has driven volume growth, with exports from Norway to the UK continuing to rise. However, lower prices have impacted the overall export value compared to last year,’ Bjørn-Erik Stabell said.
‘Looking ahead, we expect continued volume growth, while value development will depend on exchange rates and the wider trade environment.’
