Each year at the time of the Boston seafood show, Progressive Grocerpublishes a seafood review based on its own survey of retail seafood departments.
This year, Meg Major reports one retail executive told PG: “Overall, 2013 was a consistently good year from both a dollar and pound standpoint. Consumers were still buying our biggest driver, shrimp, even as price increases were passed on. It was probably one of the best years we’ve seen with our seafood sales in recent memory.”
PG’s survey for shrimp showed average dollars per store per week of $1,861, which is a 2.5% increase from the prior year. Volume declined by 2.1%, and promotional sales were cut back a relatively large 3%. Average retail prices were $8.04 which is up 7.7% from a year ago.
Other news from the survey was quite good, according to Major. For the first time ever in the twenty year history of this survey, not one of their retail panelists projected decreased seafood sales in 2014. 45.5% projected increased sales, and 54.5% anticipated static sales.
Other positives noted by Major were stronger demand for wild-caught products, certified sustainable products, and seasonal choices.
Within fresh seafood, the fin fish category increased average dollars and volume during the latest 52 weeks (up 3.5% and 5.3% respectively).
The crustaceans category (which includes crab and lobster, but not shrimp) had the largest growth within fresh seafood, up 7.2% in average weekly dollar sales and 12.7 percent in volume, aided by a 2.1 percent dip in average retail price.
The weekly dollar sales reported were $2,580 for finfish, $1,861 for shrimp, $717 for crustaceans, and $252 for mollusks.
The most interesting aspects of this survey, going into the Boston seafood show, is the confidence boost it gives retailers that consumers will stick with seafood, driven by increased interest in health and the variety of seafood products available.
With the decrease in promotional spending, another thing highlighted by Meg Major was the increased role for partners like Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute and the Louisiana Seafood Marketing Board in developing retail promotion activities.