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- This case study focuses on European sprat (Sprattus sprattus) for human consumption in Poland, Denmark and Sweden, which are the 3 main sprat producers in the EU in terms of catches and landings and have distinctive profiles in terms of uses for the fish.
- In 2021, global catches of European sprat reached 424.941 tonnes, 77% of which was caught by the EU fleet. Within the EU, the main producer countries are Denmark (29% of EU catches), Poland (20%) and Sweden (16%). Catches decreased by 3% over the year and reached 414.302 tonnes in 2022.
- Sprat is one of the main raw materials used for fishmeal and fish oil processing. Only a minor share of EU catches is destined for human consumption. Most the processing activities take place in Denmark. Of the intra-EU trade flows of fresh sprat destined to Denmark reported, a significant share comes from landings of EU vessels in other MS. Intra-EU trade of frozen sprat mostly supplies the canning sector in Baltic countries and Poland.
- On the market, sprat is found mainly canned and smoked and to a lesser extent fresh (whole). In 2022, production of canned sprat amounted to 19.436 tonnes LWE in Poland and 661 tonnes LWE in Sweden. There is no production of canned sprat in Denmark. Sprat for human consumption also includes sprat in jar, but to a lesser extent. In Poland, consumption of whole smoked sprat is also significant, while in Denmark a small niche market of sprat flour for human consumption exists.
- Extra-EU imports of sprat are limited whereas extra-EU exports, mostly of frozen sprat, reached almost 50.000 tonnes in 2022, and were mainly destined to other Eastern European countries or Western Africa.
- In Denmark and Sweden, sprat is mainly used for production of fishmeal and fish oil. Sprat is more commonly used for human consumption in Poland.
- In Poland in 2022, catches of sprat reached 60.145 tonnes, among which 48.645 tonnes landed in Poland and 11.500 tonnes landed abroad, mainly for fishmeal & oil production. The food processing industry, which mainly produces canned sprat, uses 24.190 tonnes LWE of sprat, supplied mainly by landings and to a lesser extent by imports of frozen sprat (2.288 tonnes LWE). Approximately half of the food processing industry production is exported. Apparent human consumption of sprat reaches 10.879 tonnes LWE, supplied both by domestic production, and to a lesser extent by imports of canned sprat (944 tonnes LWE). Polish use and export of sprat for fishmeal & oil production reach 33.311 tonnes LWE.
- In Denmark, catches of sprat accounted for 93.780 tonnes LWE in 2021 (106.275 tonnes in 2022). Across these catches, 92.298 tonnes LWE were for industrial uses (88.933 tonnes LWE in Denmark, 3.366 abroad) and 1.930 tonnes LWE for human consumption. Total imports in Denmark, including foreign landings, account for 81.193 tonnes LWE. Total exports from Denmark, including Danish landings abroad, account for 4.985 tonnes LWE. Apparent consumption for sprat in Denmark account for 170.491 tonnes LWE. Of this apparent consumption, 169.736 tonnes LWE are used in fishmeal and fish oil industry, 500 tonnes are used for pet food and other animal feed, and 256 tonnes LWE are used for human consumption. There is no canned sprat production in Denmark. According to stakeholders, sprat sold on the Danish market is mainly canned in Latvia, to a lesser extent in Poland and possibly in other countries around the Baltic Sea.
- In Sweden, the national fleet caught 59.319 tonnes of sprat in 2022. This was a 16% increase over 2021 catches, and a 12% increase compared to 2013. The Swedish production of prepared and preserved sprat amounted to 661 tonnes in 2022. In 2022, exports of whole sprat from Sweden reached 48.340 tonnes (93% fresh and 7% frozen), amounting to 16 million euros, mostly Swedish landings in Denmark destined to the fishmeal industry. Canned sprat production in Sweden is almost exclusively for the local market and supplemented by limited imports. Based on data analysis and stakeholders’ consultation, the apparent consumption of sprat for human consumption amounted to 4.048 tonnes LWE in 2022.
- The price transmission analysis considers a 125 g can of sprats in spices and vinegar (containing 80g of sprat) sold in Swedish supermarkets at 26,32 EUR/kg and a 170 g canned “smoked sprat in oil”, retailer own brand, sold in Polish supermarkets for which the retailer price is 6,40 EUR/kg.
- The first sale price of sprat is mainly driven by its use for fish meal and fish oil production. This price has minimal influence on the final product price as the share of the raw material cost in the final retail price is between 3% in Sweden to 6% in Denmark.
- Labour is one of the main cost factors in sale price inflation in canned sprat production, whereas the price of raw material has only a limited impact regardless of the range of product.
