Supermarkets say that the ease of cooking squid – which is ready to eat after as little as a minute on a hot grill – is another reason behind the surge in demand.
Waitrose, the retail chain, said that sales of whole imported squid have risen by 230 percent in recent months compared to last year. Sales of squid tubes, which are the 'pouches' of the squid without the legs, have risen by 75 percent.
Part of the rise has been attributed to the Dukan diet, the popular protein-based diet that limits participants’ eating regime to a list of around 100 allowed foods, including squid.
According to nutrition experts, squid is healthy because it helps the body absorb iron, contains high levels of the mineral phosphorus and is rich in vitamin B2.
Squid and octopus recipes have also featured prominently on recent editions of the BBC’s Saturday Kitchen television programme.
Tesco, the UK’s largest supermarket, said that sales of frozen – rather than fresh - squid have risen by 10 per cent so far this year compared to 2011. Sainsbury's said it has seen a "steady rise" in sales of fresh squid in recent months.
Jeremy Ryland Langley, specialist buyer of fish and shellfish at Waitrose, said: “Brits are going mad for squid this year. It is one of our fastest-growing seafood lines and we expect to see it continue to rise in popularity.”
He had that Britons are traditionally “very conservative” when eating fish. However consumers are becoming more adventurous than they used to be.
At the moment Waitrose sells around 85 tonnes of squid a year. This is likely to rise to around 100 tonnes next year, Mr Ryland Langley said.
John Adams, a spokesman for the National Federation of Fishmongers, said that squid sales to restaurants have increased significantly in recent years.
“Up until a few years ago the catering industry never touched squid. But you have to follow trends and people’s tastes. You have to follow the whims of the customer,” said Mr Adams.
The majority of squid sold in the UK at present is imported from South Africa or India, retailers say. Fresh squid comes into season later in the summer.
Nigel Slater, the celebrity chef and cookery writer, last month extolled the virtues of squid. He said that the trick when preparing the food is to only cook it for a “minute or two” otherwise it will toughen.
According to the most recent figures from the Marine Management Organisation, £10.2 million worth of squid was landed into the UK by domestic fishermen in 2010, up 70 per cent from £6.1 million in 2009. Although the majority of this was exported, the increase shows that demand is rising internationally as well.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) A project titled "Sustainable Shrimp Industry Governance" has been launched in Ca Mau Province with the aim of supporting the transition of the province's shrimp industry toward higher quality, lower emissions, stronger governance capacity, improved supply chain traceability, and the development of a sustainable shrimp brand that meets the increasingly stringent requirements of export markets.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Khanh Hoa Provincial Agricultural Extension Center, in collaboration with the Northern Center for Marine Aquaculture Research and the Van Hung Public Service Center, recently organized a training course on disease-free golden pompano seed production. The program is part of a National Agricultural Extension Project aimed at developing industrial-scale seed production models to support sustainable marine aquaculture.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s pangasius exports have shown encouraging signs of recovery in 2026. In the first four months of the year, total export turnover reached USD 720 million, up 17% compared to the same period last year. This result reflects improving demand across many markets, as well as the efforts of Vietnamese pangasius enterprises to maintain production, secure orders, and adapt to changing market conditions.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The application of high technology in shrimp farming is delivering positive results in the coastal areas of Vinh Long Province, contributing to improved production efficiency and creating significant potential for further industry expansion. However, to fully capitalize on this potential, the province is focusing on aquaculture zoning, infrastructure investment, and promoting modern, sustainable production.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Đồng Tháp Province has intensified efforts to curb illegal fishing by strengthening vessel monitoring, law enforcement and seafood traceability.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Seafood businesses need solutions to overcome bottlenecks such as labor shortages, difficulty accessing capital, high input costs, and administrative procedures in order to maintain production, adapt to market fluctuations, and effectively exploit export opportunities.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The FTA would widen access to markets with strong demand for premium food products in line with the country’s strategy of shifting exports towards increasing added value.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On the morning of July 13th, Mr. Ho Quoc Dung, Member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam and Deputy Prime Minister, along with his delegation, visited and worked with businesses in An Giang province to promptly resolve obstacles and promote production and business activities.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) As importing markets increasingly focus on biosecurity and traceability, Vietnam has established a relatively comprehensive legal framework and disease management system for aquaculture, covering tilapia farming as well as other cultured species. This system is based on the Law on Animal Health, regulations on the prevention and control of aquatic animal diseases, the National Plan for the Prevention and Control of Major Diseases in Farmed Aquatic Species, and environmental monitoring and early warning programs for aquaculture areas.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On July 9, 2026, the Embassy of Vietnam in Brazil organized the seminar titled “Sharing Information on Vietnam-Brazil Economic, Trade and Investment Relations in the First Half of 2026” to provide updates on bilateral cooperation and strengthen connections among government agencies, industry associations, and business communities of the two countries.
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