Competing retail groups, COOP, Dansk Supermarked and SuperGros, together covering 97% of the Danish market, have united to promote MSC certified sustainable seafood.
The retailers have entered into partnership with the Danish Fishermen’s Producer Organization (DFPO) and the MSC. The aims are to drive preference of MSC labelled seafood, increase the amount of MSC labelled seafood under own retailer brands as well as to encourage key fisheries to engage in the MSC programme.
The retailers are also committed to help build consumer awareness of the MSC programme through an in-store nationwide marketing campaign.
Denmark is the world’s fifth largest seafood exporter and one of the fastest growing MSC markets in terms of products. Several Danish fisheries were certified against the MSC environmental standard for sustainable fisheries during 2011 with key species such as cod, plaice and saithe. The number of MSC labelled products on the Danish market has surpassed 500, and increased by 75% in 2011.
The Danish fishery sector has been one of the strongest supporters of the MSC programme to date. Denmark currently has 16 fisheries engaged in the programme and more than 100 chain of custody certified companies supplying key MSC markets.
