April 15, 2026 — Seafood prices at U.S. retail jumped in March, particularly among frozen and fresh products, leading to sales declines as overall consumer sentiment continues to fall.
According to market research firm 210 Analytics, frozen seafood inflation jumped 11.7 percent during the month, resulting in a 12.5 percent decline in sales by volume year over year and a 2.3 percent drop in sales by value to USD 727.9 million (EUR 617 million).
April 14, 2026 — Americans are feeling the effects of higher gas prices across the U.S., which hit an average price of USD 4.16 (EUR 3.55) per gallon for the week of 6 April.
As a result, many are deciding to cut back on trips to restaurants, worrying an industry that is already dealing with a wide range of pressures, such as shifting trade and immigration policies and rising operational costs like labor, food, insurance, and energy.
April 2, 2026 — Seafood sales volume continued to slow during the key Lenten season, according to new retail seafood and grocery purchasing data, with retailers now looking toward Easter.
Americans’ concerns over high gas prices and grocery inflation are reflected in lower retail volumes during Lent, Circana Senior Vice President and Perimeter Practice Leader Chris DuBois told SeafoodSource.
March 26, 2026 — Maine’s lobster industry is facing mounting pressure after a harsh winter reduced fishing activity, slowed catches and added to rising costs across the sector.
A key driver was fewer days on the water. Maine lobster harvesters took more than 21,000 fewer fishing trips in 2025 than in 2024, the agency said. Total landings fell to just over 78 million pounds, the lowest level since 2008.
“It started in December, and in December you usually get to fish a lot of days, and we didn’t get to fish,” said lobsterman Greg Turner.
Turner, who has worked on a boat since childhood, said crews were only able to fish about half as many days as normal during peak winter months.
“If it’s zero out, and it’s blowing negative 25, you can’t go because it’s just – if something happened – you’d be done. You’d die out there, probably,” said Turner.
February 18, 2026 — Seafood sales values increased across the U.S. as a combination of environmental factors and inflation lead to double-digit percentage increases.
Winter storms across many regions of the U.S. in January led to a surge in shelf-stable seafood and other retail seafood sales, including in the fresh and frozen categories. The storms caused Americans to eat at home in larger numbers during the month, and retail food and beverage volume jumped up 18 percent for the week ending 25 January, according to Circana data analyzed by 210 Analytics in Lakeland, Florida, U.S.A., while restaurant transactions fell 6 percent that week.
February 4, 2026 — The National Grocers Association (NGA), a U.S. trade association that represents retail and wholesale grocers, has claimed that national grocery “power buyers” – especially Walmart – are violating antitrust laws and raising U.S. food prices.
In a late January letter to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Department of Justice (DOJ), the NGA highlighted newly unsealed court filings from a previously dismissed FTC lawsuit against Pepsico.
January 15, 2026 — Seafood inflation at U.S. retail stores rose again to end 2025, leading to increases in sales by value but declines in sales by volume in most seafood categories in December.
The biggest price increases during the month came in frozen and shelf-stable seafood, which both jumped 8.4 percent in December, according to new data from Circana analyzed by Lakeland, Florida, U.S.A.-based 210 Analytics. Fresh seafood prices, meanwhile, increased 1.6 percent, led by finfish prices, which rose 3.3 percent.
November 18, 2025 — Inflation on grocery prices led to drops in seafood sales at U.S. retail stores in October.
Frozen seafood prices increased 5.3 percent year over year in October, contributing to sales declines of 2.7 percent by value to USD 723 million (EUR 624 million) and 7.6 percent by volume, according to new data from market research firm Circana analyzed by Lakeland, Florida, U.S.A.-based 210 Analytics.
September 16, 2025 — Seafood sales at U.S. retail stores grew slightly by value in August, mainly due to inflation, according to data from market research firm Circana.
“Seafood experienced some inflation across all temperature zones, including ambient, refrigerated, and frozen,” 210 Analytics Principal Anne-Marie Roerink said.
August 26, 2025 — Retailers in both the U.S. and Canada have implemented price drops in order to entice shoppers, many of whom are seeking value wherever they can find it amid continued global trade uncertainty.
Bentonville, Arkansas, U.S.A.-based retail giant Walmart rolled back prices on 7,400 items in the second quarter of its 2026 fiscal year, which is 2,000 more than the same period last year, per Supermarket News.