Waitrose has announced an industry-leading pledge to carry the MSC (Marine Stewardship Council) logo on its private label canned tuna. The up-market retailer is the first major British chain to include the logo on its own brand tuna, adding it to its popular budget range, Essential Waitrose.
The logo will be added to the first cans at the beginning of next month with all carrying the recognisable blue tick by the first week of April.
John Vine, a buyer at Waitrose, said, "The blue tick is well recognised by our customers so we're pleased to offer them this added reassurance on such a regular shopping basket product. All our canned tuna is our essential Waitrose brand, proving that customers don't need to buy top of the range food to know it's been sourced in an ethical way."
All Waitrose own label canned tuna is pole and line caught, with the retailer selling some four million tins annually under the Essential Waitrose brand.
MSC UK country manager Toby Middleton said, “This is a fantastic development, for Waitrose, for the MSC and crucially for shoppers. By adding the MSC ecolabel onto cans of one of the nation’s favourite fish is giving consumers the power to reward sustainable fishing, and to help transform the world’s oceans towards a sustainable future.” (20 Feb)
© 2013 - ESM: European Supermarket Magazine by Sadhbh Connor
