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) In Gia Vien district, tilapia farming—particularly the “duong nghiep” strain—is expanding rapidly and gradually becoming an efficient production model for local farmers. Hatcheries in the area are supplying high-quality, uniform, and disease-free fingerlings, meeting the growing demand for commercial farming.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On the afternoon of March 19, Vice Chairman of the Ca Mau Provincial People’s Committee, Le Van Su, chaired a meeting to address bottlenecks and propose solutions to expand the super-intensive whiteleg shrimp farming model using low water exchange and high biosecurity standards (RAS-IMTA).
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On March 10, 2026, the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee issued Decision No. 1377/QD-UBND approving the Aquatic Animal Disease Prevention and Control Plan for the 2026–2030 period. The decision takes effect from the date of signing and replaces previous plans for the 2021–2030 period that had been issued prior to the administrative merger in Ba Ria – Vung Tau, Binh Duong, and Ho Chi Minh City.
(vasep.com.vn) In 2025, Chile imported more than USD 156 million worth of tuna, up 8.1% compared to the previous year and the highest level in the past five years. As the supply structure in this market is rapidly shifting, Vietnamese tuna is facing both opportunities to expand market share and increasing competitive pressure from Thailand, Colombia, and China.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vinh Long Province is stepping up efforts to develop brackish water shrimp farming in a sustainable direction, identifying it as a key sector in its agricultural structure. In 2026, the province aims to reach around 71,300 hectares of shrimp farming, with an output of over 314,000 tons.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Ha Tinh Province is strengthening control over shrimp seed quality to minimize risks for the 2026 spring–summer farming season.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In February 2026, Vietnam’s pangasius exports reached USD 119 million, down slightly 5% year-on-year. However, thanks to strong performance in January, cumulative exports in the first two months of the year still reached USD 331 million, up 28% compared to the same period in 2025. Export activity slowed somewhat in February due to seasonal factors, particularly the Lunar New Year holiday, which disrupted production and shipments at many seafood processing enterprises.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Da Nang is accelerating the development of high-tech shrimp farming toward intensive production, disease control, and improved efficiency. Many shrimp farms have invested in automated environmental monitoring systems, continuously tracking indicators such as pH, dissolved oxygen, temperature, and salinity, enabling farmers to promptly adjust pond conditions and reduce disease risks.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The year 2025 is considered a turning point for Vietnam’s shrimp seed industry as the sector faces the need for strong transformation in technology, production management, and gradual self-sufficiency in broodstock supply. These factors are seen as key to improving seed quality and strengthening the competitiveness of the shrimp industry amid increasingly demanding market requirements.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In February 2026, Vietnam’s shrimp exports reached nearly USD 310 million, up 17% year-on-year. Cumulatively for the first two months of the year, shrimp export value totaled USD 690 million, an increase of 20% compared with the same period last year. Compared with the 22% growth recorded in January, the pace of increase in February slowed somewhat, reflecting seasonal factors as the Lunar New Year holiday partially disrupted processing and shipment activities. Nevertheless, the nearly 20% growth in the first two months indicates that shrimp orders from Vietnam are maintaining a more positive trend than in the same period last year.
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