Trader Joe's is embracing a new seafood sustainable policy. (Photo: Greenpeace/Public domain)

Trader Joe’s introduces sustainable seafood policy

UNITED STATES
Tuesday, March 30, 2010, 23:10 (GMT + 9)

Food retailer Trader Joe’s announced last week its intent to shift all of its seafood purchases to sustainable sources by 31 December 2012. Greenpeace publicly lauded the company’s move.

The firm’s new policy applies to all formats of seafood offered, including frozen, fresh and canned.

Trader Joe’s said it is collaborating with third-party, science-based organisations to establish definitions and parameters for its seafood sustainability goal.

“It is our intent to have this goal function as a seafood policy that addresses customer concerns including the issues of overfishing, destructive catch or production methods and the importance of marine reserves,” it said in a statement released last week. “We aim to use our purchasing power to leverage change within the seafood supply community.”

The chain said it lends its support to leaders within the industry who are making positive efforts to “get off the red list,” such as farmers of freshwater salmon and closed-containment shrimp.

Country of Origin and Wild/Farm-Raised information is already mandatory on the retailers’ seafood labelling. Trader Joe’s now plans to enhance its package labeling for all seafood items to include information on species’ Latin names, origin and catch or production method.

The retailer stopped selling Chilean sea bass in 2005, orange roughy in July of 2009 and red snapper this month in response to customer feedback and in support of its work to source sustainable seafood, it said.

"We applaud Trader Joe's commitment to creating a strong sustainable seafood policy,” said Greenpeace Senior Markets Campaigner Casson Trenor. “We know their customers will appreciate their recent statement of intent."

Trader Joe’s initiative comes following months of campaigning from Greenpeace activists across the US.

"We're going to be watching to see Trader Joe's implement these changes," continued Trenor. "They've made a lot of strong promises, and we'll be there to make sure that those promises become reality."

Trader Joe's is one of 20 seafood retailers profiled in Greenpeace's sustainable seafood guide, Carting Away the Oceans. In its most recent edition, Trader Joe's was ranked 17 out of 20 with a failing grade.

Based on its new policy, the retailer is expected to receive a passing grade in the next report tentatively scheduled for release on the week of April 26, Greenpeace informed.

Related article:

- Supermarkets progress in Greenpeace's latest rankings

By Natalia Real
[email protected]
www.seafood.media

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