Supermarket to sell oysters for 25p in lead up to Valentine's Day

Morrisons, on Pine Grove, will sell the British Pacific Oysters for the same price of an average cod fish finger in what is thought to be the lowest retail price for an oyster in the UK for 25 years.

Currently, oysters can sell for more than £5 each in Harrods and Selfridges food hall oyster bars, 20 times the price of Morrisons oysters.

Recent research by Morrisons has identified that nearly two thirds of Brits have never eaten an oyster, even though 2,300 tonnes will be harvested in Britain this year. Fifty per cent of Britain’s oyster harvest is now exported to the continent every 12 months.

Simon Batty, general manager at Morrisons Crowborough said: “We want to make oysters completely affordable and available for everyone in Crowborough to try. Each of our Pacific Oysters cost little more than a fish finger to buy. And if anyone is uncertain on how to serve and eat them, then just ask one of our store’s fishmongers – who are experts on oyster preparation and cooking and who will be on hand to help.”

Morrisons will be stocking live Pacific Oysters, which are cultivated on the West Coast of Scotland and Ireland. Each oyster will weigh approximately 60g. They will be available in all stores as a six-pack in the fresh fish section, and as single oysters in stores with stand-alone fish counters. Morrisons fishmongers can shuck and prepare individual oysters, should customers so wish.

The shellfish will be sold at 25p for one week by the retailer in the run up to Valentine’s Day - from Monday, February 8 until Sunday, February 14. It is expected that the product, a known aphrodisiac, will be bought by couples wishing to prepare a romantic dinner for a night in.

The Morrisons research also revealed that 25 per cent of people said they’d never tried an oyster due to the perceived ‘expensive’ price, with 44 per cent saying they didn’t want to waste money on something they may not like.

In addition, a fifth of people thought they’d never shopped anywhere that sold them.

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