Safeway Unveils New Sustainable Sourcing Practice for Store Brands Tuna

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February 16, 2012

Safeway’s store brands chunk-light canned tuna will be responsibly caught using free-school purse-seine methods, a more-sustainable method than using nets.

The retailer will transition to the purse-seine method by the end of the year. Free-school tuna is caught by purse-seiners using traditional methods of spotting schools of fish using radar and sonar, while captains employ powerful binoculars to spot birds attracted by schools of tuna, rather than using fish aggregating devices.

The new sourcing policy is an important step in addressing the consumer demand for a more sustainably sourced product without compromising quality, according to Joe Ennen, senior vice president of consumer brands at Safeway. "We are committed to building a brand portfolio that is innovative and gives consumers what they want. We're excited to offer that same superior quality from a source that is more sustainable and eco-friendly."

"Sourcing responsibly fished tuna is vital to marine ecosystem health, said Phil Gibson, Safeway's group director of seafood. "We are pleased to include the canned tuna category in our company's Comprehensive Sustainable Seafood Policy."

Environmental group Greenpeace applauded Safeway’s announcement. "Safeway has just galvanized its hold on pole position within the U.S. retail industry in regard to sustainable seafood,” said Casson Trenor, senior markets campaigner for Greenpeace. “Safeway's canned skipjack tuna specifications are progressive, comprehensive and visionary.”

Next, Safeway will turn its attention to albacore tuna and is in the process of instituting additional specifications for responsibly sourced albacore tuna caught on longline vessels. Safeway brand "responsibly caught" tuna is the first brand in North America to make this important move, according to the retailer.

Read These Related Articles:

• Co-operative and M&S Rate Highest in Sustainable Seafood in the U.K.
• Wegmans Debuts Prized Mediterranean Fish Sustainably Raised in the U.S.
• Target Pledges To Sell Only Sustainable Seafood
• Wegmans Furthers Seafood Sustainability
• Whole Foods to Sell Only Sustainable Seafood

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