Waitrose has become the first UK retailer to introduce Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC)-certified fresh fish counters, a move now rolled out across more than 260 of its stores.
The initiative aims to make responsibly farmed seafood easier for customers to identify and buy.
“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,” said Lief Hendrikz, ASC’s market development manager for the UK and Ireland.
“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.”
The supermarket’s counters will now feature oysters, sea bass, sea bream, king prawns and tiger prawns, all meeting ASC’s environmental and social standards. The certification is part of Waitrose’s wider commitment to sourcing seafood responsibly and supporting sustainable aquaculture practices.
“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,” said Katie Keay, senior aquaculture and fisheries manager for ethics & sustainability at Waitrose.
“This has only been possible with the work from our dedicated suppliers and, of course, the fish farmers themselves.”
Waitrose was reportedly the first UK supermarket to commit to ensuring all its own-brand chicken meets the Better Chicken Commitment or higher, and it continues to promote responsible seafood sourcing through independent certifications and enduring supplier partnerships.
