Spanish cooperative Eroski has received Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification for its fresh fish products, it has announced.
The company said it is the first retail distribution chain in Spain which has passed the MSC audit to achieve chain-of-custody certification for its fresh fish products sourced from sustainable fishing areas.
During 2017, Eroski will start selling bacalao (cod), Cantábrico anchovies and Bonito del Norte tuna with the MSC label, and it aims to continue introducing new species who have garnered the certification.
The MSC is a not-for-profit organisation tasked with addressing the 'problem of unsustainable fishing and safeguard[ing] seafood supplies for the future'.
With this achievement, the company said it has taken an important step in the implementation of its 'Política de Pesca Sostenible' (sustainable fish policy).
This strategy supports 11 principles connected with sustainably sourcing fish products, which includes stopping the sale of products resulting from illegal fishing, respecting minimum sizes, and reducing the environmental impact of the commercial distribution of fish.
Guaranteed Traceability
"At Eroski, we are involved in a more sustainable food model and we strive to offer the consumer new options for a more healthy and responsible diet," its director of health and sustainability, Alejandro Martínez Berriochoa, said.
"This international certification is a guarantee for our clients that fresh fish with the blue MSC eco-label comes from sustainable fish sources with guaranteed traceability."
Nearly 350 fish counters have been certified, with six logistics platforms added in 2017.
By 2020, Eroski aims to extend the MSC certification to the chain of custody for up to 700 fish sources, affecting roughly two million kilograms of fresh fish.
To obtain these goals, the MSC will work with Eroski to train its teams and to educate and bring awareness to consumers about the 'necessity of protecting and safeguarding marine resources through the sustainable consumption of marine products'.
© 2017 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Karen Henderson. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine.
