In commemoration of World Tuna Day, Coles announced a step towards having a more sustainable impact on oceans.
By September, Coles Own Brand canned tuna will be granted the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) blue fish tick label.
Coles is the first Australian supermarket to announce its commitment to having the MSC standard for sustainable fishing and seafood supply chain assurance across its canned tuna range.
When the transition is completed, more than 45 popular Own Brand canned tuna products will contain tuna caught in MSC-certified fisheries. This will assure customers that their wild seafood products have come from well-managed and sustainable fisheries.
Charlotte Rhodes, general manager of Coles Own Brand, said that the decision to source tuna from certified fisheries would provide customers with added confidence at the checkout.
“By adding the MSC blue fish tick label to all Coles brand canned tuna, we’re demonstrating the great lengths we will go to make sustainable choices more accessible and convenient for our customers,” said Rhodes.
“This important milestone will see Coles have the largest MSC-certified own-brand seafood range in the country and be on track to become the first Aussie supermarket to have its entire canned fish range third-party certified by the leading global standards for sustainable seafood.”
The additional MSC-certified tuna products will be available in Coles stores nationwide. By the end of the year, the total number of MSC-certified Own Brand products will be 75.
“We commend Coles for offering Australians affordable, MSC-certified sustainable canned tuna at a time when global demand for the fish is increasing, and the pressure on tuna populations and ecosystems has intensified,” said Anne Gabriel, MSC programme director in Oceania and Singapore.
“By offering Australians access to third-party verified sustainable tuna, Coles is joining a global movement of tuna brands playing their part of celebrating and incentivising MSC-certified tuna fisheries, which account for over 40 percent of tuna fisheries worldwide,” she added.
The announcement comes as Coles was crowned MSC Best Sustainable Seafood Supermarket at this year’s Sustainable Seafood Awards Australia. Independently judged, Coles received the award for having the most significant commitment to MSC-certified seafood of any retailer in Australia.
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