2.) Wegmans
While Red List items and label transparency still leave something to be desired for this grocer, Wegmans has made waves and earned accolades from Greenpeace for its exemplary conduct in the realms of sustainability initiatives and policy.
“Wegmans prides itself on sustainable seafood, and invests its resources and staff time to prioritize this important work. Demonstrating leadership alongside this year’s top five retailers, Wegmans sent a letter to the NPFMC in support of protecting the Bering Sea Canyons. Greenpeace commends this leadership, which follows Wegmans’ advocacy in other areas (e.g., not sourcing its own brand Alaska pollock from the Bering Sea Canyons or not souring from the Ross Sea),” according to the report.
This supermarket chain is continuously keeping tabs on the stock strength, bycatch rates and social impacts of the seafood it sells. Furthermore, the farmed seafood sold by Wegmans has been sourced from fishers who are working to minimize, if not outright eliminate, the use of pesticides and antibiotics. “The retailer also strives to avoid patronizing farms that cause undue habitat alteration and/ or land loss, are associated with human rights abuses, or source broodstock from red-grade fisheries,” said Greenpeace.
Wegmans markets 13 out of the 22 Red List species, and it is the only retailer in the top five that does not offer sustainable private canned tuna, an area that it should work on in the year to come, Greenpeace suggested.
Headquarters: Rochester, New York
Store Count: 85 supermarkets.
FY 2014 sales: USD 7.4 billion
