Catfish sold as traditional fish and chips in UK chip shops
An investigation has revealed that some chip shops in the United Kingdom have been selling catfish as traditional fish and chips without properly informing customers.
The practice involves mislabeling cheaper catfish species as cod or haddock, misleading consumers and undercutting honest businesses.
The BBC North West investigation found that at least 10 chip shops, five in Liverpool and five in Manchester, were involved in this mis-selling.
DNA testing conducted at Liverpool John Moores University confirmed that three of the sampled shops sold pangasius catfish, also known as river cobbler, instead of the fish species listed on their menus.
Catfish is significantly cheaper than traditional fish species, with wholesale prices around £3.40 per kilogram compared to approximately £15 per kilogram for cod or haddock.
The Chartered Trading Standards Institute acknowledged that while this issue is not widespread, some unscrupulous businesses continue the practice.
The investigation was prompted by a complaint from a Liverpool chip shop owner who expressed concern that the dishonest practice was putting honest vendors at a disadvantage.
Online customer reviews also raised suspicions, with many consumers questioning the type of fish they were served.
Among the sampled chip shops, three listed cod on their menus, four listed haddock, and three simply listed "fish." Some businesses described the fish as "normal fish" or "white fish" when questioned, and one server pointed to a sign stating "traditional fish and chips" without specifying the species.
Professor Stefano Mariani, who led the DNA testing, noted that finding catfish in three out of ten samples was unusually high.
He explained that DNA barcoding was used to identify the species accurately, confirming the presence of pangasius catfish in the samples.
Catfish is farmed and imported from Southeast Asia and is safe to eat, but the lack of disclosure raises consumer protection concerns.
