As long as there is no authority in place to regulate the practice of shrimp overglazing, the market will continue to short-weight its products, Andre Buijs, managing director at Dutch firm Affish, told IntraFish.
"European governments and authorities should look at this because they are the ones who can change things," he said.
His comments came in response to a recent IntraFisharticle on rampant shrimp overglazing in the European Union (EU), after a study found about 50 percent of frozen shrimp imported to
Buijs has no expectations the industry itself will take steps toward stricter rules. With increasing competition, importers have started taking measures to drive down prices -- and short-weighing products is one convenient way to do it.
"The product is more or less the same; it's always the same quality," he said, adding price is the only way to outrival each other.
Even though it is illegal to not indicate overglazing on the package, "some companies don't care, they just care about the price," he said. "It's pretty well-known throughout the market."
Affish was listed with one positive example in the study, conducted by Belgafood, the association of Belgian food importers, but Buijs said he can't explain why it had tested positive.
With Affish's mother company, UK-based multinational company Camellia, listed on the London Stock Exchange, "we're not allowed to cheat on the pack," Buijs said.
"We're always honest and I don't see any reason whynot to be honest," he said. "But not many competitors do it the same way."
Mistakes, however, can happen from the supply side,which is why Affish takes samples before shipping and upon arrival of the products.
He heavily criticized EU regulations and rules on food imports, saying "if a comma is wrong in your documents" products are rejected.
"So why don't check the label and the quantity indicated on a package?" he said. "That's much more important than a comma."
Organizations such as the Dutch Association of Importers of Fish (VIV) and the Seafood Importers & Processors Alliance (SIPA) are lobbying in
At the time of publication of the IntraFisharticle, Olivier Hottlet, president at Belgafood, said the practice is known to the European Commission, however, it doesn't intend to take action.
"As long as there is no control from authorities this problem will go on," Buijs said.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Although Germany’s tuna imports have declined, Vietnam’s tuna exports to the market continue to show positive signs. Notably, export value recovered strongly in Q3/2026, and German import data also show Vietnamese products strengthening their position amid competition among suppliers.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Seafood exports are holding double-digit growth, but the opportunities are not spread evenly across product groups and markets. As businesses draw up their plans for 2027, Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026 (VSS2026) offers a chance to look ahead together: what to sell, where to sell it, and how to prepare for growth in the coming years.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) With less than two weeks to go, the Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026 (VSS 2026) will officially take place in Can Tho. Under the theme “Seafood Market Outlook 2027–2029 – Opportunities and Potential for Double-Digit Export Growth,” the Summit is organized by VASEP at a time when seafood businesses are facing rapid market shifts, changing buyer demand, trade policy changes and growing competitive pressure all at once.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On October 28, 2026, the China Fisheries & Seafood Expo opened in Qingdao, China. The expo takes place over three days from October 28 to 30, 2026. This is a prestigious specialized seafood exhibition organized annually by Sea Fare Exposition Inc.
(vasep.com.vn) In the first nine months of 2026, Vietnam’s tilapia exports to the CPTPP bloc reached $7 million, marking a 51% year-on-year increase. The bloc rstands as the fourth-largest market for Vietnamese tilapia, trailing Brazil, the US, and Saudi Arabia.
(vasep.com.vn) VASEP has officially announced the program for Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026 (VSS 2026), featuring five in-depth sessions covering industry outlooks, trade barriers, buyer demand, the domestic market, and solutions to improve productivity and reduce costs across the seafood value chain.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s shrimp exports reached US$3.7 billion in the first nine months of 2026, up 11% year on year. Although growth has been supported by China and several markets within the CPTPP, momentum is slowing as exports to the United States and the European Union decline. Tariff pressures, international competition, and raw material challenges are creating significant hurdles for exporters in the final months of the year.
(vasep.com.vn) Markets are changing faster, buyer requirements are becoming more demanding, and trade barriers are growing increasingly complex. In this environment, seafood businesses need more than an understanding of current market conditions. They need a longer-term perspective to answer a critical question: Where will growth opportunities come from in 2027–2029, and what should businesses do now to prepare? This is one of the key reasons why VASEP is organizing Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026.
(vasep.com.vn) In the first eight months of 2026, Vietnam’s pangasius exports to the Middle East reached US$113 million, up 7% year on year from the same period in 2025. Growth has become more pronounced in recent months. In August alone, exports to the region totaled US$20 million, an increase of 24%. This indicates that demand for Vietnamese pangasius in the Middle East is gradually recovering after a slowdown in March, although the pace of recovery varies across markets.
(vasep.com.vn) China’s shrimp imports continued to grow strongly in 2026, while Vietnam’s shrimp exports to the market also recorded notable growth. However, behind these positive figures lie two distinct trends: Chinese consumption is growing more slowly than imports, and lobster accounts for a substantial share of Vietnam’s shrimp exports to China, making its product mix significantly different from those of Ecuador and India. Exporters therefore need to assess each segment carefully to understand the opportunities and risks.
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