As consumers become more conscious of the environmental and social impacts of their purchasing decisions, there has been increasing interest in sustainability labels and greater awareness of how seafood products are sourced and produced.
This shift in consumer behaviour has encouraged brands and retailers alike to place greater emphasis on transparent and independently certified seafood.
In Australia, adoption of the ASC-label has been strongly driven by brands and seafood suppliers, while retailer own-brand uptake has continued to evolve as sustainability commitments across the sector mature.
Consumer recognition of the ASC-label sits at approximately 40 percent, indicating a strong and growing level of awareness in-market. At present, there are more than 100 ASC-certified seafood products in the Australian market, with much of the most recent growth driven by branded suppliers expanding their certified product portfolios and increasing the number of labelled products available to consumers.
Brands such as I&J and Birds Eye have played a significant role in increasing the availability of ASC-certified seafood. This growth has been particularly evident in the frozen and value-added seafood categories, where the ASC label provides a clear, trusted signal at the point of purchase.
At the same time, increasing regulatory and public scrutiny around environmental marketing claims has placed greater pressure to substantiate sustainability commitments with credible evidence.
Recent guidance and enforcement activity from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) on greenwashing further highlighted the importance of clear, accurate and verifiable claims.
Similar developments have also emerged internationally, including in Europe through the Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition Directive (EmpCo) framework, which seeks to strengthen rules around environmental claims and labelling.
As a result, independent third-party certification has become increasingly important for companies to demonstrate the credibility of their sourcing and sustainability claims, while providing consumers and retail partners with greater confidence and transparency.
Overall, demand has been shaped by both growing consumer awareness, increasing anti-greenwashing regulation and brand-led product innovation. While retailer private-label adoption continues to develop, the expansion of certified branded offerings shows how ASC will be embedded in mainstream seafood categories.
Seafood is a complex category. A common misconception is that all farmed seafood is inherently less sustainable than wild-caught seafood.
"In reality, what matters is whether seafood is raised or harvested according to robust standards for environmental responsibility, giving retailers and consumers confidence in the seafood they choose and trust," said an ASC spokesperson.
“Another misconception is that sustainability labels are primarily marketing claims. In ASC’s case, certification is based on independent third-party audits and full chain-of-custody requirements, meaning products carrying the label can be traced through verified, certified supply chains. This level of assurance is particularly important in seafood, one of the most globally traded food commodities, where supply chains are often complex and multi-layered.”
Sustainability certification has increasingly shaped how seafood is sourced, produced, and presented in retail environments as retailers respond to rising expectations for transparency and responsible sourcing.
Rather than being a niche attribute, certification has become a practical tool that helps define supplier requirements, inform procurement decisions, and simplify how sustainability is communicated to consumers.
In product development, ASC certification also influenced how seafood products have been formulated and positioned, particularly in frozen and value-added categories where branded innovation plays a strong role.
While implementation varies by market and retailer, certification has become more embedded in ranging decisions and category storytelling, particularly where responsible sourcing goals are a priority.
“Certification is shifting from a compliance expectation toward a strategic enabler, helping retailers and suppliers meet demand for credible, independently verified sustainability claims.”
Looking ahead, ASC has seen strong momentum in international markets, where major retailers have made explicit commitments to ASC certification as part of their seafood sourcing strategies.
For example, in the UK, retailers such as Sainsbury's and Co-op, in Spain, El Corte Inglés have committed to sourcing 100 percent ASC for their own-label fresh and frozen seafood. Similar commitments across other European retailers have helped accelerate ASC uptake and embed certification more deeply into procurement requirements.
As expectations around transparency and responsible sourcing continue to rise, retailers and brands are increasingly prioritising strong sustainability credentials during tender processes and supplier selection, alongside traditional considerations such as cost, quality, and supply reliability.
Overall, the opportunity is to scale ASC-certified seafood across both branded and private-label portfolios to support accessibility, affordability, and consistency, ensuring sustainable seafood becomes a standard part of everyday grocery retail.
More about certifications and trustmarks in the recent issue here
