Swedish retail giant Ikea has announced that all seafood sold or served in its 327 stores across the globe will be certified by the Marine Stewardship Council or Aquaculture Stewardship Council “within weeks”.
The commitment, announced today (22 September), means the retailer provides more MSC or ASC-certified food than any other foodservice operator in the world, and ensures eight new markets, including Turkey, Thailand and the Middle East can access certified sustainably caught seafood for the first time.
Around 90% of the 23 species sold by the retailer in its Swedish food markets and restaurants are already MSC or ASC-certified, with the remainder expected to become accredited during the course of the autumn.
“I am really proud that our customers can enjoy tasty fish that has been responsibly produced by people with good working conditions,” said Ikea Food Services MD Michael La Cour.
“This is a result of our high ambitions and commitment regarding the whole value chain; from fisheries and farms to training of our co-workers and certification of the restaurants,” he added.
Certified products sold by the retailer include marinated herring, smoked salmon, salmon fillets and frozen prawns.
By committing to sourcing and selling certified sustainable seafood, Ikea had demonstrated “global leadership in sustainability” said MSC global commercial director Nicolas Guichoux.
His thoughts were echoed by ASC CEO Chris Ninnes, who added that salmon sold by Ikea was now guaranteed to come from fish farms “that respect the environment, the rights of workers and the interests of the local community”.
No comments yet