One of the great food trends of recent decades, Japanese sushi continues to grow in popularity in the UK – especially among Gen Z consumers, who regularly seek out high-protein, nutritious meals with responsibly sourced credentials to the fore.
Raw salmon, the undisputed king of sushi toppings, leads the charge across generations as the go to for UK consumers, according to NSC research. Salmon from Norway, sourced from the sustainable fisheries of the cool, clear waters of the Barents Sea, meets this growing need for high quality, superior taste and environmental standards.
Responsibly sourced and subject to rigid quality checks through its world-class fisheries management model, raw Norwegian salmon offers unparalleled freshness, flavour and texture.
Research from the Norwegian Seafood Council (NSC) finds 50% of consumers eat salmon at least once a week, with 55% doing so to help maintain a healthy diet**. With a growing number of consumers hooked on Norwegian salmon’s nutritious benefits – including omega-3 fatty acids, high-quality protein, and essential vitamins and minerals – opportunities abound to switch more UK consumers on to raw salmon.
According to Bjørn-Erik Stabell, UK director at the Norwegian Seafood Council, said: “With its year-round availability and unparalleled quality, Norwegian salmon is a perfect fit for a wide range of meal occasions.
“Its versatility allows for both cooked and raw consumption – and with Norway holding almost 50% of the salmon market, there is strong consumer trust in the high quality and exceptional taste of Norwegian salmon.”
UK sushi takeover
Within the UK sushi market there is growing potential for innovation in dining out, at-home consumption, snacking and meals on the go, with the versatile and portable Japanese dish lending itself to a host of eating opportunities and formats.
A nod to UK consumer sentiment around sushi can be seen across sectors, with Tesco’s £5 meal deal launch in 2023 prompting sales of sushi at the retailer to increase by 90%, overtaking the traditional sandwich option. This indicated a significant step-change in eating habits and Tesco now sells 21 million packs of sushi a year. In September 2025, the retailer revamped its in-store sushi offer, introducing a range of sushi to its Tesco Finest line.
Sushi has successfully risen to prominence across retail as an accessible, affordable day-to-day option, with the category growing more than £31 million over the past two years, adding a further 1,480 tonnes in volume to the seafood category (NIQ Scantrack MAT to June 2025).
Across the food-to-go category, the latest figures suggest sushi is the fifth fastest-growing food type – up 5.6% in volume year on year (Kantar, year to 1.9.2024). The Japanese restaurant industry in the UK is also thriving, with the market currently estimated to be worth £1.6 billion, and home to more than 2,800 Japanese and dedicated sushi restaurants.
Stabell says: “Norwegian salmon’s versatility across both raw and cooked applications makes it an ideal choice for chefs looking to diversify menus, from sushi and starters to mains and buffet offerings, while delivering consistent quality and broad customer appeal.”
The UK’s appetite for poké
Another thriving food trend of recent years is Hawaiian poké, usually consisting of raw, diced salmon or tuna, served with rice, sauce and vegetables. Driven by consumer demand for healthy, protein-rich alternatives, the format lends itself to on-the-go and in-restaurant occasions, often offering ‘build-your-own’ options.
Poké bowls are a regular fixture in the UK’s top 10 trending food-to-go options, according to food-delivery service Deliveroo, with a build-your-own-poké bowl taking the top spot in 2023.
According to Stabell: “With poké bowls a fast-growing trend in the UK, Norwegian salmon fits beautifully with this need for reliable quality and freshness when it comes to raw preparation.
“Along with salmon, Norwegian cold-water prawns and farmed cod will also be important in driving the poké trend in the UK over the coming years.”
How Norway ‘invented’ salmon sushi
While sushi is a traditional centuries-old Japanese serve, the use of raw salmon is a more recent addition introduced by Norway in the 1980s. Norway’s Project Japan initiative was led by a delegation of determined Norwegians intent on persuading the Japanese that high-quality raw salmon from Norway could complement their national dish.
Project Japan experimented with salmon in sushi dishes, serving it to importers and restaurants, and at dinner parties at the Norwegian Embassy in Tokyo. The dedicated team also launched a salmon campaign with the few resources they had available. Following 10 years of continued relationship-building, trust and innovation, Norway successfully boosted salmon consumption in Japan, which in turn led to raw Norwegian salmon’s popularity worldwide.
The long-term impact is clear: in 1980, Norway exported 2 tonnes of salmon to Japan; 20 years later it was exporting more than 45,000 tonnes to the country annually.
Using raw, Norwegian salmon in sushi has also spearheaded the use of salmon in dishes such as sashimi and poke. Today the popularity and reach of sushi is closely interlinked with the pink, popular fish from Norway – and vice versa.
According to estimates from the Norwegian Seafood Council (NSC), around 30% of Norwegian salmon ends up as sushi and is consumed raw.
According to Stabell: “Norway played a crucial role in introducing salmon sushi to the world’s table, establishing one of the most prolific food trends of recent times. The high-quality production of Norwegian salmon lends itself to raw preparation and Norway’s dedication to responsible sourcing ensures UK consumers can enjoy its fresh taste as their favourite sushi topping in good conscience.”
