Dutch retail promote certified seafood during Think Fish Week

Dutch retailers are promoting responsible seafood during the second Think Fish Week. In almost all stores across the Netherlands, customers can easily make a responsible choice for MSC or ASC certified seafood.

The MSC and ASC labels guarantee that the fish was caught or farmed in a way that preserves the ocean and coastal areas. The Think Fish Week is an initiative of the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) and the World Wild Fund for Nature together with supermarket chains, seafood suppliers and well-known seafood brands.

We now have more Dutch supermarkets taking part in the Think Fish Week than last year, when the initiative was started. During the week retailers will be informing customers about responsible seafood across their stores as well as through social media.

The event was kicked-off today in the centre of Leiden, where passers-by could taste MSC certified herring and ASC certified salmon. Dutch consumers increasingly prefer sustainable seafood. And, retailers actively invest in making it easy for customers to make this choice with one out of three products in Dutch retail stores carrying the MSC ecolabel or ASC logo.

Making a responsible choice now is thinking about the future

During the Think Fish Week consumers are reminded that they can easily contribute to a healthy ocean. Seafood products carrying the blue MSC-ecolabel come from a sustainable fishery. The fishery is well managed, the fishermen do not overfish and they minimise their impact on the marine ecosystem.

The ASC logo on pack guarantees that the fish comes from a responsible farm. ASC certified farms take care of the natural environment, deliver a cleaner seabed, reduce water pollution, deliver  healthier fish, adhere to strict feed requirements and ensure social responsibility.

Dutch leading retailers taking part in Think Fish Week include: Albert Heijn (Ahold), C1000, COOP, Dekamarkt, Dirk, EMTE, Hoogvliet, Jan Linders, Jumbo, Lidl, MCD supermarkets / Boon, PLUS, Poiesz, Spar and purchasing organisation Superunie.

Seafood suppliers for Dutch retailers are also actively supporting the Think Fish Week by working hard to further increase the certified seafood that is offered by them.