Sainsbury’s offers the most with 163 certified products, but despite rising consumer demand Tesco stocked 18, Morrisons eight seven sustainable seafood products





Some of the UK’s biggest supermarkets are not offering enough sustainably caught fish, despite soaring demand from consumers, according to new research published on Friday.

The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) said the availability of certified fish was at record levels but pointed out a growing gap between supermarkets in terms of how many products they stocked.

Sainsbury’s, which has topped the MSC’s table since 2010, sold 163 certified products over the last financial year, almost twice the 79 products sold by its closest competitor Waitrose and more than three times the amount stocked by Marks & Spencer.



However, Tesco (with nearly a quarter of the certified fish market) increased its product line by just one, from 17 to 18, since 2010, while Morrisons dropped theirs from 12 to eight and Asda cut theirs from 27 to 21. The popular German discounter Lidl – which at Christmas put on sale the cheapest oysters on the high street (farmed through a Scottish co-operative), came in fourth with 36.



The MSC said its data suggested that sustainably fished popular species such as cod, haddock, tuna and prawns were making their way on to UK supermarket shelves in record numbers, driven by the progress made by the leading retailers.



More than one million tonnes of MSC-certified cod alone was caught globally last year, up from 500,000 tonnes in 2010, it said. MSC-certified sales of the UK’s most popular species had increased 300% in two years, and its distinctive blue eco-label now appears on more than 25,000 tonnes of cod, haddock, tuna and prawns in the UK. The MSC said growth reflected the increasing number of MSC-certified sustainable fisheries.



A survey for the MSC last year found that 71% of UK consumers thought it important for supermarkets to sell sustainably caught seafood.



MSC senior UK manager Toby Middleton said: “We know that consumers expect sustainable seafood choices in their supermarkets but not all supermarkets are making it easy for their customers. UK shoppers expect sustainability built into their purchase, regardless of their price point. Sainsbury’s has already shown that price need not be a barrier to sustainability, with even their Basics fish fingers MSC certified, at 65p a pack. It’s time for the other retailers to step up to the mark.



“Safeguarding the world’s oceans is essential if we are to maintain healthy fish populations, economies and ecosystems. By choosing MSC labelled fish and seafood, shoppers are helping to transform the way the oceans are fished. Only through the blue MSC ecolabel can consumers be sure that what they choose to put on their plate will be from an MSC certified sustainable fishery. Sainsbury’s and Waitrose recognise the value of third-party labelling that consumers can trust. Others must follow their lead if they want to maintain growth in market share over the long term.

“Claiming to source MSC certified seafood isn’t enough if shoppers can’t see the label on packs. If it doesn’t say MSC certified on the packet, it isn’t MSC certified in the packet.”

• This article was amended on 2 February 2015 to correct inaccurate data provided by MSC. Lidl stocks 36 MSC-certified products, not seven, as the organisation had originally said.



