As rising food costs continue to strain household budgets, new research from the Norwegian Seafood Council shows growing consumer interest in affordable, protein-rich alternatives to popular whitefish like cod, with saithe emerging as a promising option

According to NSC data, 47% of consumers say cost is the main reason they don’t eat seafood more regularly. In the UK alone, cod consumption has dropped by 18% in recent years, as inflation and food prices hit harder than ever.

Saithe, a relative of cod, is currently the most-caught whitefish in Norwegian waters, benefitting from healthy Barents Sea stocks and a generous quota system managed under Norway’s science-led sustainability model.