Christmas 2025: fish beats goose
Germany's festive cuisine in a fact check
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A recent survey [1] shows: meat dishes continue to set the tone for the festive season. sustainability aspects play a much smaller role for the majority of the population at Christmas.
As the first Advent approaches, so do culinary plans for the holidays. For 45% [2] of Germans, the question of the Christmas menu hardly arises - they go for their traditional dishes. At the same time, just under a quarter [3] of respondents are willing to try something new at Christmas, according to a representative survey conducted by the opinion research institute Appinio on behalf of the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC).
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Festive and meaty
Around 77 percent opt for meat dishes at Christmas. Beef and veal dishes (41 percent) and sausages (40.1 percent) are particularly popular. The Christmas goose continues to lose importance and is now only chosen by 29% of meat eaters [4]. At the same time, one in ten (9.7 percent) of those surveyed are planning a vegetarian menu, 4.4 percent a vegan one - while 7.5 percent have not yet decided on their choice.
One in four opt for fish or seafood at Christmas
Around one in four (23%) would like to serve fish or seafood over the festive period, making seafood dishes slightly more popular than the classic roast goose. Salmon is particularly popular, with 66% of fish eaters preferring it, as well as crustaceans such as prawns, crabs and scampi (37%). The traditional carp follows in fourth place with 20 percent [5].
58% pay less attention to sustainability at Christmas
Despite growing social awareness of ecological issues, sustainability plays a lesser role for many people (58%) [6] at Christmas than during the rest of the year. There is also a clear reluctance to make sustainable choices when it comes to fish consumption at Christmas: only 35% of fish eaters would be prepared to change their preferred type of fish if it was classified as unsustainable. 37 percent would still go for their favorite, while four percent would prefer to avoid fish altogether in this case [5].
Uncertainty when buying fish: many feel ill-informed
The survey also shows a clearly recognizable need for information. Almost half of respondents (48 percent) [7] feel poorly or inadequately informed about how to identify sustainable fish.
Gerlinde Geltinger, press officer at the MSC, the independent seal for sustainable fishing, emphasizes: "Many people want to buy fish consciously and sustainably. But sustainable fishing is complex and orientation is often difficult: different lists and guides give different, sometimes even contradictory recommendations - no wonder that many people are confused or simply resign themselves. Clear and simple guidance is needed in everyday life. The MSC seal offers exactly that: It shows at a glance on the packaging that the product comes from a certified, sustainable fishery that is regularly inspected."
Setting new accents: Sustainable indulgence ideas for the festive season
The MSC is appealing to consumers to pay attention to sustainable origins when buying fish at Christmas and at the same time shows that conscious enjoyment does not mean sacrificing anything. Three festive recipe ideas are intended to inspire consumers to expand their own seafood repertoire and give the holidays new culinary impetus.
Mussels : Nutritious, delicious and ready to serve in just a few minutes - ideal if you have family around the table for several days. Cod : Tender MSC-certified cod fillet that cooks effortlessly in the oven - an aromatic delight that is particularly good after a winter walk. Scallops : Tenderly roasted, MSC-certified scallops on an aromatic saffron risotto - a sophisticated, sustainable Christmas dinner.
Sources
[1] Data basis: Representative online survey of 1,000 female consumers in Germany (Appinio, 9-10.11.2025) on behalf of the MSC.
[2] Total sample n=1000. Sum of the approval options ("agree", "strongly agree") .
[3] Total sample n=1000. Sum of the approval options ("agree", "strongly agree") 23.8 percent.
[4] Subsample n= 766. Total of respondents who eat meat at Christmas.
[5] Subsample n=230. Total of respondents who eat fish at Christmas.
[6] Total sample n=1000. Sum of the approval options ("somewhat agree", "agree", "strongly agree").
[7] Subsample n=758. Sum of respondents who consume or buy fish at least occasionally.
Note: This article has been translated using a computer system without human intervention. LUMITOS offers these automatic translations to present a wider range of current news. Since this article has been translated with automatic translation, it is possible that it contains errors in vocabulary, syntax or grammar. The original article in German can be found here.
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