Update: 26 July 2011: At last, John West has announced it will change its policies, making its tinned tuna 100 per cent Fad-free and pole and line by 2016. All the companies listed on our league table have now agreed to end the use of Fads (fish aggregation devices) which are responsible for indiscriminate catches including sharks, rays and other fish. Read more >>
Update, 12 April 2011: Now Morrisons supermarkets have joined the rest of the UK's stores to commit to Fad-free tuna in all it's own-brand products for 2013. Fantastic news, this leaves just one brand using destructive tuna fishing methods: John West.
Find out more here >>
Update, 9 March 2011: both Princes and Asda have committed to removing tuna caught using fish aggregating devices in combination with purse seine nets from their supply chains by 2014. Read more >>
Fishing practices used by the global tinned tuna industry are responsible for the death of marine animals including sharks and rays, and even rare and endangered sea turtles. Tuna stocks are also in trouble because of overfishing and widespread fishing methods that catch juvenile tuna.
With the UK being the second largest consumer of tinned tuna in the world, Britons have a lot of influence over the fish industry and we can put pressure on them to change. We surveyed major tinned tuna brands and retailers to see how their fishing practices stacked up. All have taken steps to improve their environmental performance in the last two years, but there's still a huge difference between the best and worst.
The only way to protect our marine environment and stocks of fish like tuna is to change the way we manage the oceans. We need to reduce fishing to sustainable levels, abandon destructive fishing practices and set aside large areas as marine reserves – national parks at sea – where no fishing takes place and stocks are allowed to recover.
Verdict: Ranked number one in 2008, Sainsbury's is back in the joint number one spot again this time. Sainsbury's continues to set the standard on own-label tinned tuna sustainability.
- Strong public position in support of establishing marine reserves
- Pledged to support creation of a Pacific Commons marine reserve and has undertaken not to source any tuna from those areas
- Its entire range of canned tuna is sourced from the pole and line catch method
- Only uses skipjack and MSC albacore in their tinned tuna products. No longer sell canned yellowfin tuna
- Has committed to only using pole and line tuna across their entire range of in-store tinned tuna products like ready meals, pates and sandwiches
- Clear labelling in identifying species and catch method. Sustainability is made a clear selling point
"The scale of moving all of our tinned tuna to 100 per cent pole and line caught was a massive investment, but we were convinced it was the most sustainable alternative... The environment continues to be one of our customers' top concerns, and even the most budget conscious want to know that the food they're buying has been sourced in the most responsible way."
Verdict: Having finished third in 2008, Marks & Spencer now jointly top the table. Marks & Spencer join Sainsbury's in setting the standard on own-label tinned tuna sustainability.
- Pledged to support creation of a Pacific Commons marine reserve and has undertaken not to source any tuna from those areas
- Has converted their entire range of canned tuna to the pole and line catch method
- Only uses pole and line caught tuna for its own brand in-store products like sandwiches and fishcakes
- Uses only skipjack in own brand tins
- Clear labelling in identifying species, origin and catch method. Products are marked with "no nets" and future packaging will include the pole and line logo
"M&S was specifically concerned at levels of bycatch from purse seining on fish aggregation devices, so we moved our entire range of tinned tuna products to pole and line in 2009... M&S supports the establishment of large scale no-take marine reserves and believes that the retail sector has a crucial role to play in supporting this initiative."
Verdict: After not selling an own-brand tinned tuna in 2008, Waitrose has now entered the market with an excellent show on sustainability. A clear market leader on sustainability with its own-label tinned tuna product, Waitrose still needs to do more on its public advocacy for marine reserves.
- All Waitrose own-label canned skipjack tuna is 100 per cent pole and line caught
- Labelling is clear, saying "Sustainably sourced, pole and line caught"
- Only uses pole and line tuna across its entire range of in-store tinned tuna products like pates and sandwiches
- Only uses pole and line caught skipjack and MSC albacore in its tinned tuna products
- Position on marine reserves could be significantly stronger, such as explicit support for the Pacific Commons proposal and more active public support for marine reserves generally
"Sustainability is at the heart of the Waitrose business. We know our customers care about looking after marine life but of course they also want affordable, quality, tinned tuna. Getting this balance right is vital and that's why Waitrose decided to only sell environmentally-friendly caught tuna, but to absorb any extra cost."
Verdict: Although the Co-operative retains excellent ambition on tinned tuna sustainability, it's been overtaken by others since 2008 and must sort out its labelling as a matter of urgency to ensure it lives up to their word on phasing out the use of fads with purse seine nets. Should also revive its public advocacy for marine reserves.
- Will only sell skipjack or albacore tuna. No other species such as yellowfin are sold
- Has set the standard for proactively campaigning on marine reserves through its public advocacy with the Marine Conservation Society for the establishment of marine reserves in UK waters. Should now publicly take a strong stand in supporting the Pacific Commons reserve and undertake not to source any fish from those areas
- Has committed to using 100 per cent pole and line caught skipjack tuna in their tins by the end of 2013 – though at present still continues to source the majority of its tinned tuna from purse seining with Fads
- Misleading labelling. Tuna caught unsustainably using Fads with purse seine nets are marked as "from responsibly fished sources". This is untrue.
"The Co-operative has board level approval to move to 100 per cent pole and line sourced canned tuna by the end of 2013, with a minimum of 50 per cent of product sourced using this method by the end of 2012."
Verdict: Have made improvements since 2008 and ASDA's stand on marine reserves is up there with the best, which is why it has scraped just ahead of Morrisons. However, still a long way to go to catch up with the sustainability leaders on own-brand tinned tuna. Should urgently take steps to phase out the use of Fads with purse seine nets, and improve labelling to identify catch method as well as species and origin.
Update, 9 March 2011: both Princes and Asda have committed to removing tuna caught using fish aggregating devices in combination with purse seine nets from their supply chains by 2014. Read more >>
- Led the way five years ago in calling for marine reserves in the North Sea. Now supports the introduction of marine reserves around the world including the proposal for a Pacific Commons. Has undertaken not to source any tuna from the Pacific Commons.
- Committed to begin a pole and line range in 2011, but this will comprise only 12 per cent of their tinned tuna.
- Currently uses small amounts of bigeye tuna in tins, an over fished species described as "vulnerable" on the IUCN red list. However, in response to Greenpeace pressure, has pledged to stop using bigeye tuna in 2011.
- Labelling is currently poor, but has pledged to begin labelling its tins by species in 2011 and by catch area in 2012.
"We support the principle of marine reserves including the Pacific Commons proposal."
Verdict: Have made improvements since 2008, but still a long way to go to catch up with the sustainability leaders on own-brand tinned tuna. Should urgently take steps to phase out the use of fads with purse seine nets, and seek opportunities to advocate for the establishment of marine reserves.
- Have phased out the use of yellowfin tuna and moved all its existing own brands tins to skipjack tuna and pole and line caught MSC albacore
- Around 20 per cent of its tinned tuna range will be pole and line caught by end of 2011
- Offer qualified support for the establishment of marine reserves and has agreed to engage with the proposal for a reserve in the Pacific Commons, but there is room to significantly strengthen its position on this issue.
- Morrisons pole and line tinned tuna range is already labelled by species and catch method. However, most of its tinned tuna range is poorly labelled, identifying species but not origin or catch method.
"Suppliers do use Fads although we have had a series of discussions with them since 2008 to better understand their impact on bycatch and encourage the trialling of capture without their use."
Verdict: Big improvers since finishing bottom in 2008. It has made real changes to overtake Princes and management seems determined to go further. However, should urgently take steps to phase out the use of fads with purse seine nets, stop catching yellowfin, and seek opportunities to advocate for the establishment of marine reserves.
- Calling for regulation to reduce levels of Fad usage by purse seiners worldwide
- Offers a conditional and weak level of support for the principle of establishing marine reserves. Currently fail to take the strong public stand seen from other companies, and which should be expected of market leaders.
- Offers a conditional and weak level support for the Pacific Commons proposal, though not currently sourcing from that region
- Pledged to offer a new pole and line range by August 2011 of up to 20 per cent of its UK sales – but the majority of its tuna will continue to be sourced from purse seining with fads.
- Will begin labelling its tins by species and origin in 2011.
- Continue to catch and sell yellowfin tuna which is an over fished species.
"MW Brands [John West] is calling for regulation to ensure a reduction of FAD usage throughout the world as a way of helping to reduce levels of juvenile catches... Taking an overall view, at present it is clear that the global catch levels for tuna will not be sustainable unless action is taken."
Verdict: Oh dear. Despite being responsible for around a third of the UK market in tinned tuna, Princes came second bottom in 2008 and in last place in 2010. Whilst Princes have made some improvements – offering new support for marine reserves, for example, it has done far too little and is moving way too slowly.
Update, 9 March 2011: both Princes and Asda have committed to removing tuna caught using fish aggregating devices in combination with purse seine nets from their supply chains by 2014. Read more >>
- Support "scientifically-based, protective closed ocean areas including no-take marine reserves." Currently don't source from areas around the Pacific Commons anyway – though not as a point of principle. However, there is a clear need for Princes to adopt a much stronger position to match other companies in this league table.
- Developed partnerships with Fad-free purse seine fisheries and estimate up to 25 per cent of their current catch is Fad-free. However, there appears to be no product segregation and this cannot be verified. Princes estimates that an additional 5 per cent of what they sell in 2011 may be Fad-free, but without more reliable figures, product segregation and labelling, this cannot be relied upon. In any case, need to take further steps to reduce reliance upon fishing with Fads on purse seine nets.
- Still catches and sells in its tins both bigeye – a species described as "vulnerable" on the IUCN red list because of overfishing - and yellowfin tuna.
- Currently fails to label tins by species or origin. Pledged to start labelling by species in 2011, but clearly need to go further and label by catch method and origin too.
- Makes false and misleading claims on its tins that "Princes is fully committed to fishing methods which protect the marine environment and marine life." Given the vast majority of its tinned tuna comes from purse seining on Fads, and that it stocks vulnerable species, this is clearly untrue.
"Our view is that pole and line and purse seine methods both have a role to play in meeting the tuna supply needs of retailers and consumers in the UK… We do not believe that pole and line can become a single solution tuna fishing method."
Verdict: Tesco has the greatest market share of the retailers and therefore the greatest ability, and the greatest responsibility, to make change but despite this until now it has made the least effort of all retailers. However, since the beginning of 2011, Tesco seems to be taking urgent steps to phase out the use of fads with purse seine nets. We hope it will now also seek opportunities to advocate the establishment of marine reserves.
- Currently sell more own brand tinned tuna caught from purse seining on Fads than any other retailer in the UK but is rapidly shifting its fishing methods in response to Greenpeace pressure. They introduced a pole and line range in November 2010 for just 10 per cent of its own brand tinned tuna. A month later they announced it planned to raise this proportion to 25 per cent by April 2011 – but that would only be a trial period. Finally on 7 January, in response to Greenpeace's investigation, Tesco told us it aspired to achieve 100 per cent pole and line by the end of 2012.
- Told us it's supportive of establishing no-take marine reserves but do not appear to have ever made this support public and wouldn't specify any particular reserve it will support going forward. Need to significantly strengthen its position on this issue.
- Make false and misleading claims on its tins. Labelling on tinned tuna currently states that "Tesco is fully committed to fishing methods which protect the marine environment and its species". Given its suppliers obtain fish from purse seining on Fads, this is completely untrue.
"We have committed to moving to 100 per cent pole and line sourced tuna on our own brand canned tuna by the end of 2012, provided we can ensure this can be achieved in a sustainable way that guarantees the quality and traceability of the product."
