France’s advertising authority, ARPP, has ruled that supermarket giant Intermarché must pull its advertisements claiming that its fish are sustainably caught, according to the Deep Sea Conservation Coalition.
French non-profit group BLOOM Association challenged Intermarché ads that claimed its deep-sea fishing fleet, Scapêche, employed sustainable fishing practices. ARPP upheld the challenge and declared that the ads’ sustainability claims were misleading and that the fishing fleet did not contribute to “the preservation and the renewal of marine resources,” said the coalition on its website on Thursday.
ARPP also warned that Intermarché’s own label claiming “Responsible Fishing” too closely resembles the Marine Stewardship Council eco-label and risked confusing consumers. ARPP ruled that the ads must be discontinued, according to the coalition.
“The decision sends a clear signal to the seafood industry that deep-sea bottom trawling cannot be marketed as ‘sustainable,’” said Matthew Gianni, co-founder and policy advisor of the Deep Sea Conservation Coalition. “We hope the ruling convinces Intermarché to get out of the business of deep-sea bottom trawling, given the damage this fishery causes to its reputation.”
The coalition, which encompasses 70 organizations worldwide, works to protect coldwater corals and deep-sea ecosystems and promote sustainable fishing practices.
