Retailer Sainsbury’s has taken another step in its commitment to sustainable fish sourcing by becoming the only so-called UK “big four” supermarket to sell 100% Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certified, pole-and-line caught canned tuna across its own label. At the same time, Sainsbury’s own-brand canned tuna will be reduced in price.
For the first time, by Sainsbury’s tuna will be included in Aldi Price Match as the retailer invests more to lower the price of canned tuna for customers.
With MSC’s UK Tuna Shopper Report 2022 finding that almost 70% of UK shoppers eat tuna, Sainsbury’s said the move reinforces its commitment to keep prices low on the products that customers buy most often. The retailer already matches Aldi on around 300 high-volume products, including chicken breasts, milk, eggs and household essentials.
“We know that customers want to eat responsibly sourced, high-quality food and we’re committed to helping them buy more sustainable products at affordable prices,” Sainsbury’s Food Commercial Director Rhian Bartlett said.
“We’re really proud that Sainsbury’s has become the only big four supermarket to carry the MSC certification and move to pole and line caught across our own-brand canned tuna and that by investing more, we’re not only supporting our suppliers and fisherman, but we’ve also been able to reduce the cost of own-brand canned tuna for customers.”
Sainsbury’s has previously committed to 100% of seafood sales being independently certified. In addition to its pledge to carry the MSC logo on its own-brand range of canned tuna, the retailer has also become the biggest importer of pole-and line-caught tuna from the Maldives, where tuna fishing is the number one income in the country after tourism.
