Waitrose has become the first supermarket to ensure that all of its branded and own-label canned tuna is either Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certified or pole and line caught, meaning it is 100 percent responsibly sourced.
The achievement is the result of work over the last year with branded tuna suppliers to improve their sustainability credentials. All Waitrose own-label canned tuna has been pole and line caught since 2009 and MSC certified since 2013, while all the tuna in own-label ready prepared products such as sandwiches and pâtés is also pole and line caught.
The commitment to 100 percent responsible tuna coincides with the launch of a new range of MSC-certified John West canned tuna products. The ready-to-eat, 'no drain' cans will be available exclusively at Waitrose for six months.
Jeremy Ryland-Langley, Waitrose's Aquaculture and Fisheries Manager, said: “Sustainability is at the heart of what we do and we are proud to have such a strong record in ensuring that our own-label tuna is caught in the most responsible way possible. When they buy a can of own-label tuna, our customers know that they are always buying a product which has been responsibly sourced – and now they have the same assurance when it comes to buying a branded product.”
Toby Middleton, MSC's Programme Director, added: “It's great to see Waitrose expand the range of MSC labelled tuna products on sale in their stores with these new John West MSC labelled cans. Extending their own sustainable seafood strategy to also apply to the brands they stock shows how seriously Waitrose treat the health of the world's oceans.”