The Co-op has extended its sustainable tuna sourcing policy to cover branded suppliers Princes and John West, and set a deadline for compliance by the end of the year.
The two brands would have to prove their tuna is sourced from fisheries improvement projects (FIPs) who are working towards the Marine Stewardship Council standard, Co-op said.
The retailer already sources its own-label tuna from sustainable pole-and-line fisheries.
“We’ve been a leader in sustainable tuna sourcing but have now extended our commitments,” said Co-op head of food policy Cathryn Higgs. “We are also setting out clear expectations for branded tuna suppliers because of concern from consumers about protecting tuna fisheries for future generations.”
Both John West and Princes said they already met the new standards set by Co-op.
It comes after a report by the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation in November revealed tuna companies had improved their sustainability performance over the past six months. Some 95.6% of ISSF members now conformed to sustainable targets.
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