Sainsbury’s scored a “Double Win’ for MSC UK Supermarket of the Year and ASC Retailer of the Year at the annual awards ceremony hosted recently by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) and Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) UK annual awards ceremony. This marked Sainsbury’s eighth victory in an MSC retailer award category and the second year it has won both top prizes. With a commitment to source 100% ASC-certified farmed seafood, it was the third year a row Sainsbury’s received the ASC UK Retailer of the Year award.
“These awards are a huge credit to the team because we talk about how we can source seafood more sustainably every single day. It means what we’re doing is genuinely being noticed and is meaningful. When you win something twice it gives you confidence that you are on the right path and makes us even hungrier to win again as we have huge plans for fish,” said Dave Parker, head of fisheries and aquaculture at Sainsbury’s (pictured in above photo at far right with other members of the retail team, left to right: James Parton, Karen O’Connor, Alyson Anderson and Fran Setterfield).
Iceland garnered its first win in a retailer awards category, scooping up the Silver MSC UK award, with the Bronze award going to Lidl, a testament to both chain’s long-standing commitment to MSC and their shoppers. Tesco became the latest supermarket to win the prestigious MSC UK Product of the Year for its Tesco Finest Cornish Sardines in Tomato Sauce. In a first for the category, the award was determined by a hugely popular public vote, which has further increased the visibility of MSC, the shortlisted products for the award and the work the organization does in sustainable fishing.
The MSC & ASC UK 2024 Awards, sponsored by Seafood Scotland, Plymouth City Council and Plymouth Gin, were held as a celebration of the commitment to sustainable seafood and responsible aquaculture across the whole supply chain from ocean to plate.
George Clark, MSC UK & Ireland program director, stated: “It’s fantastic to gather together in Plymouth once again this year to celebrate the major achievements in sustainable seafood. From the fishing sector who land the catch, up through the supply chain to the brands and retailers making commitments to source only from sustainable fisheries and ASC-certified fish farms and provide to their customers, our award winners really are demonstrating excellence.
“Everyone that catches, buys, sells, promotes or supports certified sustainable fish and seafood can engage with the MSC UK Awards, and we’re hoping these award winners encourage others to aim for the same high bar in the year ahead.”
Winners were announced in Plymouth’s major award-winning museum, art gallery and archive, The Box, and hosted by London-based Scottish comedian and environmental economist, Dr. Matt Winning.
Leader of Plymouth City Council, Councillor Tudor Evans OBE, remarked: “Fishing is very important to us as a Council and to me personally. The Council has been very proactive over the past ten years, taking time to get to know the industry as we have collaborated on a wide variety of initiatives. Fishing is an integral part of our local economy.”
The ASC crowned Lyons as ASC UK Retail Supplier of the Year and Fish Said Fred as ASC UK Brand of the Year, with the New England Seafood-owned brand being 100% MSC and ASC certified.
Maud van den Haspel, ASC general manager for the UK and Benelux, said: “The awards are a fantastic opportunity for us to acknowledge and reward the hard work that our winning partners have put in over the past year to offer a growing range of ASC labeled seafood to seafood lovers in the UK.”
Other notable wins were Princes scooping MSC UK Seafood Brand of the Year for remarkable progress in meeting its goal to introduce the MSC label onto their entire tuna range by 2025. Meanwhile, Ocado was designated MSC UK Online Brand of the Year for work done to empower customers to make sustainable choices when buying their seafood.
The Scottish Shellfish Marketing Group (SSMG) was crowned Retail Supplier of the Year for its work with major UK retailer Asda in helping to introduce a third MSC labeled mussel product and expanding the retailer’s MSC certified shellfish range.
The MSC is an international non-profit organization which sets globally recognized, science-based standards for sustainable fishing and assurance in the seafood supply chain.
ASC is driving the world’s leading certification program for responsibly farmed seafood. In 2024, demand for ASC labeled seafood across the UK continued to grow. There are now 744 ASC labeled products available across Britain – a 17% increase since October 2023.
