Tunafish in a Can With a Fork - stock photo

Source: Getty Images

Princes sells around 70 million cans of tuna a year

Princes Group has achieved its 2025 commitment to source 100% of its branded tuna from Marine Stewardship Council-certified fisheries.

The seafood giant, which sells around 70 million cans of tuna a year, said the shift fulfilled a multi-year investment in traceability systems, fishery improvement work and supply chain transformation across its global operations.

Since Princes first set the ambition in 2022, it has been a significant contributor to a 15-fold uplift in MSC-certified ambient tuna on UK shelves, from 2,461 tonnes in 2020/21 to 37,027 tonnes in 2024/25, it said. 

David McDiarmid, corporate relations director at Princes Group, said achieving full certification marked the culmination of a decade of fisheries improvement work.

“It was deliberately ambitious, and achieving it reflects the scale of change required across complex global supply chains,” he said. “Reaching 100% MSC-certified tuna demonstrates the progress we have made alongside our partners and reinforces our belief in the MSC standard and its global recognition is critical in driving progress in sustainable fishing.”

Read more:

Princes’ MSC-certified tuna products are already in major UK retailers and foodservice channels carrying the blue MSC eco-label.

The MSC welcomed the “ambitious and proactive industry action” and said the commitment demonstrated “Princes’ leadership and commitment to keeping our oceans teeming with life”. 

“By ensuring more certified sustainable tuna is available to UK shoppers than ever before, Princes is helping reward responsible fishing practices and giving consumers confidence to support the long-term resilience of tuna stocks,” said George Clark, UK & Ireland programme director at the MSC.

Princes said aligning all its branded tuna to the standard reflected rising retailer and shopper expectations for transparency and environmental accountability. 

Beyond tuna, Princes said it also applied responsible sourcing principles across other seafood categories, including salmon, kippers and mackerel, and has continued to support fishery improvement projects where certification is not yet viable.

Topics