© Phil Panting
Waitrose is the first UK retailer to offer Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) certified responsibly farmed seafood through its fresh fish counters. The launch further strengthens Waitrose’s longstanding commitment to sourcing seafood responsibly. The new ASC-certified counters feature oysters, sea bass, sea bream, king prawns and tiger prawns, giving customers a wider range of seafood that meets ASC’s environmental and social standards.
“We’re delighted to see Waitrose leading the way as the first UK retailer to offer an ASC-certified fresh fish counter, and we congratulate them on this achievement. This milestone demonstrates true leadership in responsible aquaculture and makes it even easier for customers to choose seafood they can trust to have been raised to the highest standards,”said ASC market development manager, Lief Hendrikz, in a press release.
Waitrose, a leading supermarket in the UK, has long been recognised for its focus on welfare standards, fair supply chain partnerships and reducing environmental impact.
“At Waitrose, we are incredibly proud that our counters are now ASC-certified and our customers have access to even more responsibly farmed fish and seafood. This has only been possible with the work from our dedicated suppliers and, of course, the fish farmers themselves,” added Katie Keay, senior aquaculture and fisheries manager, ethics & sustainability at Waitrose.
The grocer was the first UK supermarket to commit to ensuring that 100 percent of its own-brand chicken meets the Better Chicken Commitment or higher, and it has consistently championed responsible seafood sourcing through independent certifications and long-term supplier partnerships.
