Sainsbury's fresh salmon is 100% sourced from farms located around the west coast and isles of Scotland. As of 2022, all of their fresh salmon is Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) certified, ensuring it meets specific, independent standards for environmental and social responsibility.
Most of the salmon found in UK supermarkets is Atlantic salmon, farmed mainly in Scotland, but it can also be from Norway, Chile and the Faroe Islands.
Sainsbury's became the first UK supermarket to offer 100% of its fresh Scottish salmon as ASC certified in 2022. Sainsbury's-branded farmed salmon is supplied by Scotland's biggest farmer, Mowi, which currently has 27 ASC-certified farm sites. Sainsbury's also stocks MOWI-branded ASC salmon.
What salmon to avoid. Regardless of certification, avoid purchasing open-net pen farmed salmon. Most farmed salmon at your local grocer, seafood store or restaurant is likely from an open-net pen in Canada, Iceland, Norway or Chile.
All of the salmon within this product is from our approved M&S Select Farms (located on the West Coast of Scotland and the Shetland and Orkney Islands). Reared exclusively for M&S, our salmon has leading standards in animal welfare, health and care for the local environment.
Thousands of tonnes of Russian whitefish worth an estimated £100 million are entering the UK market each year, despite sanctions aimed at curtailing trade with Moscow, through legal loopholes involving processing in third countries.
Find out if the salmon is wild-caught or farmed. If in doubt, it's probably farmed Atlantic salmon. Buy U.S. wild-caught salmon—only a tiny amount is red-rated (scroll down for more information). Buy wild-caught salmon from Canada, except Chinook or coho salmons caught on British Columbia, Canada's South Coast.
The unhealthiest fish to eat are typically large, predatory species high in mercury like Shark, Swordfish, King Mackerel, Tilefish (from the Gulf of Mexico), and Marlin, which are harmful to developing brains and nervous systems, especially for pregnant women, children, and the elderly, while others like Farmed Tilapia or imported Catfish raise concerns about contaminants and antibiotics, and some popular options like certain Tuna and Chilean Sea Bass also have high mercury or sustainability issues.
Salmon is considered to be one of Norway's healthiest livestock, even if there are still challenges that need to be addressed. According to the Aquaculture Act, farmed salmon should enjoy good health for the course of its life. Compared to many other countries, Norway has a good overview of the health of farmed fish.
Which supermarket has the best quality food in the UK?
For the best overall quality, M&S (Marks & Spencer) often tops consumer polls for fresh produce and in-store experience, while Waitrose is also highly rated for its own-label quality, but Tesco excels in store appearance and range, and Sainsbury's offers a strong balance. For value, Aldi and Lidl consistently offer great quality at lower prices, challenging traditional supermarkets for everyday needs.
What is the best salmon to buy at the supermarket?
For the best supermarket salmon, choose wild-caught Alaskan Sockeye for flavor and health, or Mowi/Sainsbury's Scottish Atlantic for quality farmed options, looking for MSC/ASC certifications for sustainability, while knowing that frozen/canned wild salmon are great budget & convenient choices. Prioritize wild-caught if possible (like Sockeye or Coho) for better fats and fewer contaminants, but if farmed (Atlantic), look for certifications like ASC or BAP to ensure better practices.
For non-farmed fish in the UK, look for wild-caught options like mackerel, sardines, herring, hake, coley, and sustainable cod or haddock, often certified by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), with suppliers like Leap Wild Fish, Eversfield Organic, and The Fish Society offering choices like wild salmon, Dover sole, and shellfish, ensuring healthier choices with less fat and contaminants than many farmed varieties.
However, much of the chain's fresh salmon is farm-raised. If you're ever in doubt, look on the label or packaging for the words "wild" or "wild-caught." If you don't see them, it's farmed fish.
There are definitely concerns when it comes to seafood imported from China. Historically, they have been higher in unapproved anti-fungal medication used to keep fish alive in less than ideal conditions.
Wild salmon is caught in the wild, in its natural environments; oceans, rivers and lakes and feeds on a natural diet. It has an omega 3 oil count 40% higher than any other wild fish and has its deep red/orange colour due to a natural diet rich in prawns and shellfish. All salmon raised in Australia is farmed.
Around 1995, people in Japan began to eat salmon as well. Salmon from the Pacific was considered unsanitary, so the fish, which was often infested with parasites, was not only examined in detail but also grilled as a precaution.
The unhealthiest fish to eat are typically large, predatory species high in mercury like Shark, Swordfish, King Mackerel, Tilefish (from the Gulf of Mexico), and Marlin, which are harmful to developing brains and nervous systems, especially for pregnant women, children, and the elderly, while others like Farmed Tilapia or imported Catfish raise concerns about contaminants and antibiotics, and some popular options like certain Tuna and Chilean Sea Bass also have high mercury or sustainability issues.
A food system that is increasingly reliant on antibiotics and continues to consume wild caught fish for feed is inherently unsustainable. Fresh seafood should not come at the expense of our planet's health or animal welfare, which is why we're calling on chefs and restaurants to take farmed salmon off their menus.
