El Corte Ingles has become Spain’s first retailer to offer Marine Stewardship Council-certified canned and frozen seafood.
The first products bearing the MSC eco-label include Campos brand albacore tuna, both canned and frozen, and Officer brand herring in tomato sauce. El Corte Ingle, Spain’s largest retailer with nearly 650 million customers annually, will be working with suppliers over the coming months to extend the range.
The retailer is offering the products as part of its sustainable and responsible seafood buying policy, published in April 2011, which sets out the chain’s intention to contribute to the sustainability of marine species while guaranteeing future consumer demand and the continuity of fishing-related industries. Offering MSC-certified products is one of the first steps in the implementation of the plan, according to the retailer.
There are now a total of more than 260 fisheries are engaged in the MSC program — 131 certified fisheries, 130 fisheries in full assessment and 40 to 50 fisheries in confidential pre-assessment.
