Aldi has reported growing sales for premium seafood products as UK shoppers are expanding their selection of more non-traditional foods.

The discounter’s sales for basa, a whitefish used in Asian-inspired dishes, have increased by 50% within the past year, which makes it as the third-fastest-growing product in the range.

Mackerel and yellowfin tuna sales also went up by 15% as shoppers seek alternatives to cod and salmon.

Julie Ashfield, chief commercial officer at Aldi UK, said: “Shoppers are becoming more adventurous when it comes to fish and seafood, and we’re working closely with our suppliers to make sure we’re offering new flavours and premium options for shoppers to try, all at affordable prices.

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“That’s why we’re excited to be launching our brand-new lobster products for Christmas, giving customers even more choice when it comes to mealtimes this autumn and winter.”

To meet the growing demand, Aldi is launching a new Lobster Mac & Cheese, Whole Lobster and Lobster Tails as part of its Christmas range, which will be available across the country from October onwards.

The move comes as the discounter’s volume share of fresh fish sales reached 12.9%, according to the latest Kantar data, which marks an 11% growth from the year prior, making it the third largest retailer by volume of fresh fish across major UK supermarkets.