Seafish has published its fourth and final review into the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on the UK’s seafood supply chain, showing a strong recovery in the fish and chip retail sector.
The latest report covers January to March 2021, a period of uncertainty for the industry as Covid-19 restrictions remained and new requirements to trade with the EU came into effect.
Aoife Martin, director of operations at Seafish, said that adjusting to a new trading environment had caused difficulties for many seafood businesses, not least those faced by live bi-value mollusc producers. “But many businesses have faced disruption on a lesser scale, such as getting to grips with new paperwork requirements as well as experiencing logistical issues and delays. On top of this the industry has continued to deal with the challenges of operating during a global pandemic,” she said.
The quarterly review found that retail sales dropped from the unprecedented levels seen in March 2020 but remained strong, with fish and chip shop trade recovering to pre-pandemic levels, having been down 77% in April to June 2020, a ‘remarkable recovery’ according to Andrew Crook, president of the National Federation of Fish Friers.
The report also found continued disruption in the processing sector as companies faced supply problems although those relying on seafood imports were less affected having stockpiled frozen material in 2020. The pandemic also impacted the workforce but increased testing helped control the spread of the virus.
