Sainsbury’s encourages shoppers to Switch the Fish

Sainsbury’s encourages shoppers to Switch the Fish

14 March 2014

On Friday 14th March 2014, Sainsbury’s is set to give away up to seven tonnes of lesser known fish (lemon sole, mussels, sea bass, coley fillets and rainbow trout) to encourage customers to expand their food repertoire by including alternative species as part of their regular diet. Now in its third year, ‘Switch the Fish Day’ is part of the retailer’s commitment to sustainable fish.

80% of the UK’s favourite fish is made up of the Big Five; cod, haddock, tuna, salmon and prawns. When a customer asks for one of the Big Five fish species at the Sainsbury’s in-store fish counter on ‘Switch the Fish Day’, they’ll be offered a free* portion of a lesser known alternative to try at home. Now in its third year, the idea builds on the success of last January’s ‘Switch the Fish’, where sales of the five alternative species championed soared 17.5% across the year – more than double compared with other species on the fresh fish counter. Lemon sole saw the biggest uplift post ‘Switch the Fish’ day with + 72%, followed by coley at +59% and Cornish sardines +46%.

Sainsbury’s hopes Switch the Fish will help educate consumers on making sustainable choices. As part of this commitment, 18,000 counters colleagues have gone through Sainsbury’s food college training which includes guidance on filleting, sustainability and advice to customers on preparing and cooking with fish.

Judith Batchelar, Director of Sainsbury’s Brand said: “As the No1 retailer of MSC certified sustainable fish and largest supermarket for RSPCA Freedom Food sales we are committed to sourcing fish responsibly. We know it’s important to our customers and paramount to being able to sell fish in the future.

“For us, Switch the Fish is much more than just one day, as all five of our alternatives will have 20% off for three weeks from 12th March as part of helping to change the nation’s fish eating habits.”

For the duration of the three week campaign, all Sainsbury’s fish counters will also offer customers a free Switch the Fish booklet with recipes and tips for cooking and preparing fish.

Sainsbury’s is Britain’s biggest retailer for MSC certified sustainable fish and by 2020, all fish that Sainsbury’s sells will be independently certified as sustainable. This forms part of Sainsbury’s 20x20 Sustainability Plan which is made up of 20 stretching goals that Sainsbury’s has committed to achieve by the year 2020, including sourcing our products responsibly, preserving our environment for the long haul and offering our customers healthier shopping baskets.

Notes to editors

*Whilst stocks last – offer limited to one free portion of lemon sole, mussels, sea bass, coley fillets or rainbow trout fillets per customer, per transaction, subject to availability.  Free portion of fish must be scanned at the checkout for the discount to be applied.

+17.5% sales based on 52 weeks from 20th January 2013 to 18th January 2014

Species that Sainsbury’s will be giving away for free as part of the Switch the Fish campaign are:

  • Lemon sole: Low in fat and high in protein, lemon sole is a flat fish with delicate, sweet flesh – delicious when cooked on the bone, as it retains flavour and moisture. While it doesn’t actually taste of lemon, with a flavour that’s similar to haddock, it can also be used as an alternative in any recipe that calls for Dover sole.
  • Mussels: Quick and easy to cook, mussels can be turned into an impressive meal in minutes with very little preparation. Mussels from the counter are alive when bought, so don’t buy them too far ahead. Our MSC-certified mussels are rope-grown, which means they don’t have any grit in them. Mussels are safe and easy to eat straight out of their shells – the ultimate convenience food!
  • Sea bass: Farmed in Greece and Turkey, our sea bass are sold gutted and grilled, or as fillets. Sea bass are long, slender fish with small scales, a darker back and long belly. They are highly prized for the quality of their flesh. Moist and tender with a fresh delicate white fish flavour, the finish is sweet with a slight fresh oily back note. 
  • Coley fillets: Coley is one of the best-value white fish available, with a great flavour and lovely meaty flakes. A member of the cod family, it has a natural off-white colour which disappears on cooking – don’t be put off, top chefs aren’t! Ours is landed in Scotland, and sold fresh on our fish counters as fillets.
  • Rainbow trout fillets: The rainbow trout is actually a large rainbow trout that has been reared in a seawater environment. It is high in healthy Omega-3 with stunning orangey-pink flesh. A great alternative to salmon, it’s hugely versatile and can be cooked whole or as fillets. Fillets can be bought from our fish counters, and are also available, pre-packaged, in our fish aisle.
  • Rainbow trout: Our rainbow trout is farmed in Britain. Roughly 30cm long with a silver belly, dappled green/brown backs and have an attractive pink tinge to the skin. The flesh is a bright orange colour and is rich in Omega-3 fatty acids which are beneficial to heart health. Moist, delicate fine flaked pink flesh, trout has a slight oiliness but has a less fishy flavour than salmon. 

There is a 20% off promotion running across various fish at any of Sainsbury’s fish counters, pre-packed fish and frozen for three weeks until Tuesday 1st April 

  • Sainsbury’s is the largest retailer of Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certified sustainable fish in the UK and its commitment to Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certified fish extends right across our range, from Basics fish fingers to Pacific Salmon
  • Sainsbury’s sells over 145 products carrying the MSC logo, covering fish counters to ready meals
  • Sainsbury’s has been rated Number 1 by Greenpeace for the responsible sourcing of canned tuna in 2008, 2011, 2012 and 2013
  • Sainsbury’s supports the use of more selective fishing methods to minimise environmental impacts and bycatch This has been very successful in the South West where new nets have reduced unwanted bycatch by 50%
  • All of Sainsbury’s own brand canned tuna and all own brand canned tuna in further processed foods (i.e. sandwiches, sushi and ready meals) is pole and line caught
  • In 2008, Sainsbury’s launched its responsibly sourced salmon which is specially reared on RSPCA Freedom Food approved farms on the West Coast and Islands of Scotland
  • All of Sainsbury’s fresh and frozen cod and haddock is MSC certified