As a result of the study, ClientEarth is urging improved regulation of fish labelling. (Photo: ClientEarth/FIS

Seafood labelling by major retailers misleading: report

UNITED KINGDOM
Wednesday, January 12, 2011, 01:40 (GMT + 9)

Leading environmental law group ClientEarth found that major retailers have misleading environmental claims on tinned tuna, haddock, cod, farmed fish and other products they sell. The nine retailers include Tesco, Asda, The Co-operative, Sainsbury’s and Waitrose. 

The report shows that claims such as ‘sustainably sourced,’ ‘protects the marine environment’ and ‘responsibly farmed’ were misleading or unverified on 32 out of 100 evaluated products. 

Twenty-two of these claims are misleading, based on data offered by the retailers on their products’ sourcing. No evidence was given to allow for an examination of the other 10, said the organisation.

Canned tuna can boast ‘dolphin friendly’ labels about fish harvested in areas where dolphins were often not threatened – disguising and concealing the injurious effects caused by the tuna fishing method on other threatened species, including turtles and sharks.

ASDA products. (Photo: ClientEarth)

For instance, Sainsbury's claims that its Taste the Difference haddock loins were line-caught in waters off Norway and Iceland and admitted that some fishing techniques could affect the environment. Yet ClientEarth said concerns still exist because "the fish comes from areas where haddock stock health is at risk due to high fishing levels," reports Business Green. 

Sainsbury's insisted that their products were correctly labelled. 

“It would be shocking to find out that the free-range chicken you bought was actually battery farmed,” stated James Thornton, ClientEarth CEO. “Discovering the fish you’re eating, which is labelled as responsible or environmentally friendly, actually led to the deaths of threatened species also leaves a bad taste in the mouth.”

“Consumers need to be able to trust labels but in reality claims such as ‘sustainably sourced’ or ‘responsibly farmed’ are often misleading. The purchasing power of consumers is critical to stopping overfishing,” he continued. 

Princes Products. (Photo: ClientEarth)

Thornton also said that in the European Union (EU), 88 per cent of fish stocks are overfished and that retailers realise that consumers care about sustainability and choose to base their purchases on such concerns.  

“We would like all supermarkets that have the misleading claims on the products we’ve identified to remove them as soon as possible or to prove them with evidence. If they don’t do this, complaints can and will be made to the Office of Fair Trading arguing breaches of consumer protection laws,” he warned. 

ClientEarth is urging improved regulation of fish labelling. EU standards are necessary to validate environmental claims on fish products. 

TESCO products. (Photo: ClientEarth)

Although several supermarket chains are moving to ensure their fish is caught and farmed responsibly, they employ different criteria, such that choosing truly sustainable fish products becomes tricky for consumers.

The report also advises the UK Advertising Standards Authority to extend its remit to include packaging and labels and published advertisements.

Related articles:

- Greenpeace ranks tinned tuna brands with Princes coming last 

- Lidl and Carrefour, ranked first by Greenpeace 

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

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