U.K. grocery chain Morrisons has committed to phasing out the sourcing of shrimp slaughtered through eyestalk ablation.
Following negotiations with the International Council for Animal Welfare (ICAW), Bradford, U.K.-based Morrisons will phase out such methods as eyestalk ablation and suffocation in ice slurry for 100 percent of its prawn sales by 2027.
Similarly, U.K. supermarket chain Co-op committed to phase out the practices in March after Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Marks & Spencer, Ocado, and Waitrose did the same.
“It’s encouraging to see Morrisons join the majority of U.K. supermarkets to take a stand on prawn welfare. Customers don’t want to buy products for which animals' eyes have been cut off,” ICAW Head of Negotiations Justine Audemard said.
Such chains as Iceland, Asda, Lidl, and Aldi have not committed to removing the practices, Audemard added, so in mid-June, 70 protestors demonstrated in front of an Iceland store in Greenwich, U.K., demanding the company adopt the higher standards.
In reaction to the protest, Iceland Chairman Richard Walker announced on LinkedIn that Iceland will be “one of the first U.K. retailers to roll out Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC)-certified prawns.”
“A few people have made a splash outside our stores recently over the issue of prawn welfare and supply chains. I understand their concerns, and I actually share many of them. That’s why we’ve taken real steps to be part of the solution – not just the conversation,” Walker said. “Prawn supply chains are complicated, no question, but complexity isn’t an excuse for inaction.”
The company is “committed to sourcing responsibly" and is “one of the first U.K. retailers to roll out ASC-certified prawns, which meet strict standards for environmental and social responsibility,” he said.
“We’re not claiming perfection, but we are making progress. I’d much rather we channel our collective energy into pushing for wider adoption of certification, stronger supply chain transparency, and better choices for customers. We’re proud of the partnerships we’re building and the direction we’re heading,” Walker said.
ICAW noted in a recent press release that Walker's statement does not include a time-bound commitment to phase out the controversial slaughter practices for 100 percent of the prawns sold in Iceland stores and, as such, falls short of the prawn welfare commitments made by the majority of U.K. supermarkets.
