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Protecting Our Oceans

is Everyones Business:
Ranking Supermarkets
on Seafood Sustainability
2014 edition
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CONTENTS
3 Executive Summary
5 Introduction
6 Looking back, moving forward
7 The 5 phases of the sustainable
seafood journey
9 Beyond the seafood counter:
supporting ocean sanctuaries
11 Big steps on big sellers
11 Farmed Salmon
13 Canned Tuna
15 Ranking overview: how Greenpeace grades
16 Company proles
16 Canada Safeway
18 Loblaw
20 Metro
22 Overwaitea Food Group
24 Walmart Canada
26 Federated Co-operatives
28 Sobeys
30 Costco Canada
32 Redlist Removals 2014
Author
Sarah King
Design
Elysha Poirier
Photo credits
pg. 2

Alex Hofford / Greenpeace;
pg.4

Paul Hilton / Greenpeace;
pg. 6

Greenpeace / Ben Fox ;
pg. 10

Gavin Newman / Greenpeace;

pg. 11

Tono Photography;
pg. 13

Andrew Norton / Greenpeace

pg. 14

Greenpeace / Paul Hilton;

pg. 33

Paul Hilton / Greenpeace

Acknowledgments
Thanks to Charles Latimer, Laura Yates, Cat Dorey,
Mary Ambrose and our dedicated volunteers and
supporters for their contribution to this report.
Published by Greenpeace Canada
July 2014
ISBN 978-0-9877581-4-9
3
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Canadas retailers joined the sustainable seafood movement
after their European counterparts, but many are now leading
the charge toward a new age of ocean-friendly seafood
sourcing. Six of the eight biggest supermarket chains have
adopted sustainable sourcing policies that apply not just to the
fresh and frozen seafood found at the sh counter, but to all
products containing marine ingredients. Their commitments are
ambitious, commendable, and ultimately, necessary for them to
make the most meaningful impact.
Canada Safeway, recently acquired by Sobeys Inc., placed
rst in this years ranking largely due to the companys efforts
to seek more sustainable alternatives for some major, and
unsustainable, seafood sellers. Loblaw placed a close second
and is the rst of the ranked retailers to begin to tackle seafood
categories beyond fresh, frozen and canned seafood. These
two companies were the only ones to receive a green rating this
year reecting their momentum toward achieving their goals.
Metro jumped up the ranks this year to third place with a score
approaching a green rating, while Overwaitea Food Group
dropped from its rst place and green rating, reecting a lack
of clarity by the company about its ongoing dedication to
sustainable seafood. Walmart, Federated Co-operatives Ltd.
(FCL) and Sobeys are in the middle of the stack, with FCL
working hard to nd alternatives and Walmart and Sobeys
both revamping their sourcing policies following the expiration
of their 2013 commitments. Costco placed last again this
year because of its continuing lack of transparency about its
sustainability initiatives in the Canadian side of its business.
Overall, most retailers have solid species assessment systems
in place, as well as traceability programs to track their sh from
sea to store, clear decision-making processes on what seafood
can and cannot be sourced, and they are providing information
to their customers about their sustainability initiatives and what
they consider more sustainable seafood options. The sector is
starting to take some positive steps on sourcing ocean-friendly
canned tuna options in their private label brands and there is
more acknowledgment that one of the their top sellers, net-pen
farmed salmon, does not t with their sustainability goals. Some
companies are starting to address that issue.
Improvement is still needed across the board. Retailers need
to be consistent in how they apply criteria to private label
and national brand products and set clear timelines on when
they will discontinue unsustainable product if the shery or
aquaculture operation does not improve. They also need to
conduct third party audits to ensure their products are what
they think they are.
While most companies are moving in the right direction, as
major buyers and sellers of seafood, their impact on our oceans
is still signicant. Ensuring sustainable seafood supply chains is
not enough to allow sh stocks to recover and stay healthy for
years to come. Diminished and vulnerable stocks need areas
free from human exploitation where their habitat is protected
from the growing threats to our oceans. Retailers can do more
to ensure sustainable seafood.
Polling commissioned by Greenpeace Canada shows that
Canadians want more marine protection, and retailers can
help deliver that. Some have started to express their support
for the creation of marine reserves and recognize certain areas
should be off limits. But strong commitments to avoid sourcing
from proposed and existing marine reserves and a pledge to
take the next step as advocates for our oceans are still on the
horizon.
4
5
Canadas major food retailers are once again being ranked on
their efforts to ensure the seafood they sell does not threaten
the ability of our oceans, and ocean-dependent communities,
to thrive. Six years after Greenpeace Canadas rst assessment
of the seafood procurement practices and policies among
Canadas eight largest supermarket chains, we are looking
back to where they began and looking forward to where they
need to be, if sustainable seafood is truly going to move from
being a catchphrase to a reality.
What continues to prove unsustainable is the global shing
industry. The latest UN FAO State of World Fisheries and
Aquaculture (SOFIA) report released early in 2014 reported
that the last assessment of global sh stocks in 2011 found
that 28.8 per cent were overshed and 61.3 per cent were
fully shed, unable to withstand more catch. Only 9.9 per cent
were found to be undershed. The number of scientic studies
warning of massive and irreversible loss of marine biodiversity
is growing, especially related to rapidly changing environments
like the Arctic
1
and already overexploited species like sharks
and rays.
2
All the while our oceans are acidifying, becoming
increasingly polluted with plastic, other chemicals and nutrients,
and new industries like deep sea mining are threatening to
disrupt species that have yet to be discovered. Our oceans are
crying for help, but are we listening?
The public, and seafood consumers, are more aware than
ever before about what overshing and destructive shing
and farming practices are doing to our oceans. But they are
not yet fully armed with the information they need to make
better purchasing decisions, nor may they ever be. And yet,
the onus is still largely on the customers shopping in one of
Canadas eight biggest grocery chains to gure it out. At best
a confusing task considering the number of certications, green
claims and rampant seafood fraud.
3
At worst, impossible.
Ultimately, customers should be able to trust that their grocer
is providing the best, the greenest and the most socially
responsible seafood. But those days arent here yet.
Store yers by all major chains still advertise and promote
harmfully shed and farmed seafood alongside greener options.
Retailers often say that if their customers want sustainable
seafood, they will sell it. But surely it should not be up to the
customers to say outright that theyd rather not buy seafood
that was laundered or destroyed deep sea corals, or ask at
the seafood counter for the sh that isnt disease-ridden or
that was caught by people working under horrible conditions.
Its the responsibility of the retailer to assure its customers
that any seafood choice is a sustainable and equitable one,
and until thats true, stop encouraging bad choices through
1 Lewisa, Ceri N., Brown, Kristina A., Edward, Laura A., Cooperd, Glenn and
Helen S. Findlay. 2013. Sensitivity to ocean acidication parallels natural pCO2
gradients experienced by Arctic copepods under winter sea ice.
www.pnas.org/cgi/doi/10.1073/pnas.1315162110
2 IUCN. 2014.A quarter of sharks and rays threatened with extinction.
http://www.iucn.org/?14311/A-quarter-of-sharks-and-rays-threatened-with-
extinction
3 Rachel E. Golden and Kimberly Warner (Oceana). 2014. The Global Reach of
Seafood Fraud: a Current Review of the Literature. https://s3.amazonaws.com/
s3.oceana.org/images/Seafood_Fraud_Map_White_paper_new.pdf
promotion. The competitive nature of Canadas retail sector
fuels such contradictory behaviours that undermine otherwise
meaningful progress being made to help educate customers.
But that same competitive nature can also lead to the quest
for leadership on important issues like sustainable seafood as
weve seen over the years through Greenpeace rankings.
The food retail landscape in Canada is undergoing signicant
change through acquisitions, new players and growing market
shares. It is not yet clear whether seafood sustainability
will remain a top priority. Will retailers stay true to their
sustainability commitments and take their rightful place as
champions for the ocean diversity that the array of ocean life
on their shelves reects? Or will they drop to the lowest rung
on the sustainability ladder and continue to place too much
importance on having any eco-stamp of approval rather than
ensuring truly eco-options?
Indeed, some of the big eight retailers are working hard to nd
ocean-friendly seafood for their customers, but when we look
at the health of our oceans, it isnt enough. But what else
can the retailers do beyond greening their supply chains? The
answer could very well change the bleak, downward trajectory
of ocean biodiversity.
If our oceans are going to have sh for years to come, the retail
sector must use its inuence to help us protect our oceans,
by urging the government to live up to its obligations to
conserve marine life. The time is now to join together to create
sanctuaries in our oceans so future generations wont look
back and wonder how the industry shed and sold our oceans
out of stock. The retailers are poised to be part of a new wave
of corporate social responsibility. Which retailer will be rst to
hang a banner on Parliament? Or better yet, play a major role
in persuading those within it.
INTRODUCTION
6
When Greenpeace rst approached the retailers back in 2007,
we asked them to adopt a sustainable seafood sourcing policy
applicable to all products with marine ingredients, and to set
clear goals that worked towards an implementation deadline.
The policy was meant to be created around the following
three principles: remove the worst (stop sourcing products
identied by Redlists including Greenpeaces and others to be
the most harmfully shed or farmed); support the best (procure
products with species caught or farmed in a sustainable way,
often identied as green rated); and, improve the rest (identify
sheries and farms that could become sustainable with some
clear improvements, and play an active role in providing
incentive for them to do so within a reasonable timeframe).
While each retailer has taken a different approach to seafood
sustainability, most have incorporated these principles into their
policies and practices. The evolution of the sustainable seafood
movement in the Canadian retail sector, and beyond, also
mirrors these principles; though not as seamlessly as would be
ideal.
The retailers have gone through various phases of development
when it comes to adopting, implementing and understanding
what exactly it means to source and market sustainable
seafood, and through this years assessment it is clear that
some are further along the journey than others.
PHASE 1
PHASE 2
PHASE 3
PHASE 4
PHASE 5
8th
6th
Overwaitea
5th
4th 3rd
2nd
1st
6th
LOOKING BACK, MOVING FORWARD
FIVE PHASES OF THE SUSTAINABLE SEAFOOD RETAILER MOVEMENT
AND CURRENT STATUS RELATIVE TO RANK
7
PHASE 1: DENIAL, CONFUSION, WISHING
GREENPEACE CEASED TO EXIST
In 2007, most retailers were here. Failing to understand why
they were being targeted on the issue when they were meeting
legal requirements on seafood, they had dolphin safe tuna
and some were even starting to stock Marine Stewardship
Certied (MSC) products. Conversations with Greenpeace were
avoided at all costs, most retailers were unwilling to respond
to questionnaires about their seafood sourcing practices and
there was little direct engagement with other environmental
groups on the issue. For some retailers, this phase lasted well
into 2008 and beyond, but slowly after the release of our rst
report entitled Out of stock: Supermarkets and the future of
seafood, it was clear that tougher conversations were starting
to be had within the walls of various retailers headquarters and
some retailers were ready to chart a new course.
PHASE 2: POLICY CREATION, PARTNERING UP,
BUYING THE ECO-LABEL T-SHIRT, REMOVING
THE WORST
In 2009, Greenpeace released the rst ranking of supermarkets
entitled Out of stock, out of excuses: ranking retailers on
seafood sustainability. By this time, Canadas biggest retailer,
Loblaw, had crafted a sustainability policy and the second
biggest, Sobeys, had begun the drafting phase. Walmart
Canada had started to engage on the issue but had yet to craft
a policy, and the others were not at the point where they were
seeing the need to revise their seafood sourcing or even map
out a way forward.
The same year, Greenpeace embarked on a supermarket
tour across the country. From small towns to larger centres,
dedicated volunteers, activists and staff visited numerous
stores, talking to store managers, engaging with customers,
and, in some cases, taking direct action to send a strong
message back to headquarters that it was time to get serious
about their role in causing ocean destruction. The remaining
supermarket chains nally started to come around; sussing
out potential partners in the ENGO community to help them
develop and implement new sustainable sourcing policies.
By the time the second ranking entitled Taking Stock: Ranking
Supermarkets on Seafood Sustainability was released, Loblaw
had partnered with WWF, Walmart was in discussions with
WWF and others and Costco was also in discussions with
WWF. Overwaitea Food Group (OFG) and Federated Co-
operatives (FCL) had partnered with SeaChoice and Safeway
was in the process of working out a partnership. Sobeys and
Metro had also begun consulting with various groups.
In an attempt to nd a simple and marketable solution to their
problem, some retailers based the entirety of their sustainability
commitments on sourcing MSC or other certied products.
Given that the MSC was created with WWF, companies
engaging with the environmental group like Loblaw and
Walmart were encouraged to go in this direction. Other
companies also began to explore certied products, but their
commitment to 100 per cent certied was not as explicit.
As policies were solidied, retailers also began to remove some
of the worst or most unsustainable products in their seafood
array. Obvious candidates like sharks, bluen tuna, and
orange roughy were being pulled from shelves, in some cases
accompanied by consumer-awareness campaigns by the
companies explaining these moves being made. This marked
the beginning of a sea change in the retail market for seafood.
PHASE 3: TAKING STOCK, RETHINKING ECO-LABELS
AS THE BE-ALL-END-ALL, SUPPORTING THE BEST
After the retailers completed a supercial assessment of the
fresh and frozen seafood they were sourcing, many embarked
on a more thorough traceability investigation into fresh, frozen
and other products like canned tuna. They engaged their
vendors and suppliers more closely and some even had them
ll out detailed questionnaires. Sobeys, with their policy now in
place, piloted a traceability program for a few of its products
to share information online with its customers about not only
where their sh was caught, but who caught it. Metro on the
other hand used the information they gathered to begin to
design a comprehensive labeling scheme for their private label.
Through this process of identifying which species were caught
or farmed in which ways, it became clear that not all products
had sustainable alternatives, not all products were or could be
certied MSC, and there was still a lot they did not know about
the seafood they were selling their customers. For products
that did appear to have sustainable alternatives, the race was
on to start the ambitious task of seeking out new suppliers,
guring out how to market new products and their sustainability
initiatives to their customers, and for those with commitments
based on eco-certications, exploring how to give sheries and
farms added incentive to get certied.
With their own sourcing criteria in place, and with advice from
partner organizations, other organizations like Greenpeace
and well-known scientic advisors in the case of Loblaw,
many retailers also began to acknowledge that not all certied
sheries and farms were in fact sustainable, and failing to be
critical of the alleged eco-stamps of approval could leave them
vulnerable to scrutiny.
Recognition that sustainable alternatives may not always come
with an MSC logo, new products assessed to be greener
options, stamp or no stamp, began to appear at the seafood
counter. Retailers were starting to support the best, but
supply of green-rated products was not always going to meet
the buyers price demands or the level of existing consumer
demand for certain products.
8
PHASE 4: POLICY REVIEW AND AMENDMENT,
SUPPORTING INNOVATION, SEEING YELLOW,
IMPROVING THE REST
By 2011, full policy implementation was underway for all
retailers. Costco had nally adopted its sustainability policy
and FCL was now working hard to roll out the rst phase of
its policy. Loblaw, now feeling more condent about how to
tackle the regular seafood categories, became the rst retailer
in Canada to amend its policy to include all products containing
marine ingredients. A vow not even all of the more progressive
UK retailers had taken.
With the increased level of attention on one of the top selling
products, canned tuna, Greenpeace was pushing retailers to
ensure their seafood policies had clear criteria relating to this
complex industry. By the 2012 ranking, most of the retailers
had amended their policy to include canned tuna. Others went
further. OFG, Sobeys, Walmart, and Metro pledged to have
their policy apply to all products as well. As the implementation
deadlines of some policies approached, and green products
were not hitting shelves as fast as ocean lovers had hoped,
the industry began to rely on good alternatives, equivalent
certications, and unclear sourcing conditions. Instead of a
clear division between unsustainable red-graded products and
more sustainable green-graded (including certied sheries and
farms that were recognized as truly sustainable options), yellow
(yellow-graded species and industry-led and less rigorous
certication schemes) was becoming the new green.
By this point, sheries improvement projects (FIPs) and
aquaculture improvement projects (AIPs) were rmly on
the radar of many retailers. Some, like Sobeys, Metro, and
later Walmart had emphasized in their policy the desire to
continuously improve sheries and aquaculture operations.
However, though FIPs and AIPs were becoming the new focus
to improve the rest of the products without clear alternatives,
few retailers were playing an active role in the projects and
projects all over the globe were being labeled FIPs/AIPs without
any clear objectives to receive a green rating and without clear
timelines by which the needed changes would be made.
Sustainable Fisheries Partnership (SFP) who had partnered with
Sobeys and Walmart were identifying potential opportunities,
but the companies involvement in FIPs remained minimal.
Loblaw had engaged in a FIP with WWF, but beyond that, like
most retailers, may be sourcing from them but not engaging
any further.
Today, at least for the time being, retailers are looking at FIPs/
AIPs as a way to continue to source certain problematic
species. New policy editions contain a heavy reliance on FIPs/
AIPs and sheries or farms working towards certication.
Indeed, improving the rest is an essential piece of the
sustainable sheries and aquaculture puzzle, but it cannot
be used as a way to avoid making tough sourcing decisions
when heavily depleted stocks, impacts on other threatened
species, and destruction of important habitat are in question.
Excluding the worst must continue if sources refuse to make
swift changes, and instead support should go to the best the
industry has to offer in terms of green alternatives.
PHASE 5: STAYING THE COURSE, LOOKING LONG-
TERM, BEYOND GREEN GROCER TO OCEAN
CONSERVATION ADVOCATES
Despite legitimate concerns, Canadas major retailers are on
the right track. Well, except for Costco. With the acquisitions
that have taken place over the last year (Loblaw purchasing
Shoppers Drug Mart and Sobeys acquiring Canada Safeway),
sourcing policies will be merged and others revised, and
relevant retailers must ensure that crucial elements for
sustainability success do not get lost in translation.
For all retailers, policies need to be continuously updated and
improved, starting with an assurance that all products with
even the smallest creatures from the sea are assessed and
bound by policy requirements. Private label and national brand
should be held to the same strong standards.
There must be an acknowledgement that supply relationships
may need to be replaced with players that are acting for the
oceans. In order for real change to happen back on the water,
retailers need to invest in the solutions that do not already exist.
Actively engaging in FIPs/AIPs, supporting companies investing
in new, more sustainable shing and aquaculture technology,
and supporting conservation initiatives beyond seafood are
clearer paths to success.
The necessary compliment to sustainable seafood are loud
calls for protection of our oceans to allow depleted sh stocks
to recover, species and ecosystems to adapt to changing
oceans, and to stave off the growing threats to marine life
beyond the shing and aquaculture industry. Firm commitments
not to source from proposed or existing marine reserves and
pledges to support coastal communities efforts to keep our
oceans wild are a must. Together, this is a recipe for the true
ocean advocates that Canadas retailers are gearing up to be, if
they stay the course and stop seeing the ocean for the sh.
9
A crucially important part of Greenpeaces asks to retailers is to
use their buying power, and their clout, to support wider ocean
conservation initiatives beyond their seafood counters and back
to the very ecosystems from which their seafood comes.
The vision is a global network of marine reserves, or ocean
sanctuaries, covering 40 per cent of the worlds oceans.
Crossing all ecosystems, ecologically sensitive and unique
areas, and connecting marine freeways used by ocean
travellers, these safe havens would be free from extractive
industries and destructive human inuence.
Without healthy oceans, there cannot be sustainable seafood.
Or any seafood, for that matter. And without safe havens for
marine life to ourish, there cannot be healthy oceans. Setting
aside no-take areas is critically important in maintaining marine
biodiversity. Ocean life could be facing the next mass extinction
if overshing is not stopped and if species are not able to adapt
to new stressors associated with climate change. Already
fragile ecosystems will not have a ghting chance of coping
with the changes to come if they are faced with the growing list
of industrial threats.
A recent study found that because high seas ecosystems
provide services and irreplaceable value well beyond
commercial sh catches in international waters, closing off the
high seas completely could be more economically, socially
and ecologically benecial than continuing to sh in them.
The study emphasized the value of high seas ecosystems in
rebuilding coastal sh stocks and in helping to mitigate against
climate change as an enormous carbon dioxide store.
4
With
only 1 per cent of commercial shing taking place just in the
high seas, a logical place to prioritize global efforts on marine
protection, but one that is extremely difcult due to weak
and patchy governance and management, is in these global
commons. Negotiations at the UN for a global framework that
would allow for a concerted effort on high seas protection could
become a reality, if opposing governments like Canada start
listening to the science and recognize what can be gained.
Nationally, Canadas track record on protecting our three
magnicent coasts is grim. With less than 1 per cent of the
countrys waters fully protected, we fall well behind other
nations. In 2010 at the 10th meeting of the Conference of the
Parties, held in Aichi Prefecture, Japan, the parties adopted
a new Strategic Plan for Biodiversity, including the Aichi
Biodiversity Targets, for 2011 to 2020.
The Strategic Plan seeks to take effective and urgent action
to halt the loss of biodiversity in order to ensure that by
2020 ecosystems are resilient and continue to provide essential
services .. .. Canada agreed to turn the targets into national
biodiversity strategies and action plans, and drafted the
following target specic to marine protection mirroring the Aichi
Targets: By 2020, at least 10 percent of coastal and marine
4 Rogers, A.D., Sumaila, U.R., Hussain, S.S. and C. Baulcomb. 2014.
Understanding the Value of High-Seas Ecosystems.
http://www.globaloceancommission.org/
areas will be conserved through networks of protected areas
and other effective area-based conservation measures.
However, in the Marine Protected Area chapter of the 2012
Fall Report of the Commissioner of the Environment and
Sustainable Development, the commissioner concluded
that Fisheries and Oceans Canada and Parks Canada
had not planned, established and managed a network of
marine protected areas (MPAs)... in order to... fulll Canadas
international targets under the Convention on Biological
Diversity, and that as a result, marine biodiversity remains
at risk, along with the health of coastal communities. The
Commissioner warned that at the current rate of progress,
it will take many decades for Canada to establish a fully
functioning MPA network and achieve the target established
in 2010. This was a wake-up call for the federal government,
and yet it continues to be asleep, failing to act fast enough
nationally, and blocking progress towards establishing marine
reserves in the high seas.
A poll commissioned by Greenpeace early in 2014 revealed
that 94 per cent of Canadians think the federal government
should protect at least 10 per cent of its coasts and marine
areas, and 78 per cent think that this 10 per cent should be
completely protected as no-take marine reserves. Canadians,
including seafood consumers, clearly want to protect the
oceans, joining a growing international community that refuses
to let marine diversity slip away.
BEYOND THE SEAFOOD COUNTER: SUPPORTING
OCEAN SANCTUARIES
5.8%
No
78.1%
Yes, Canada should set aside 10% as marine
reserves (higher level of protection)
16.1%
Canada should set
aside 10% as marine
protected areas
To date, Canada has fully protected
much less than 1% of its coastal and
marine areas. The commitment made
by nations was to protect at least
10% of coastal and marine areas.
Knowing this, do you believe Canada
should aim to set aside at least 10%
of its coasts and marine areas as
reserves (higher level of protection)?*
Q
*Polling conducted by Stratcom, for complete results visit:
greenpeace.ca/pollingresult2014
In 2013, Greenpeace hosted a Marine Reserves Workshop and
invited the retailers to learn more about why marine reserves
are essential, how these areas can yield not only ecological but
economic and social benets, and what role they can play in
pushing for greater marine protection in Canada and across
the worlds oceans. Some of the retailers have expressed
support for marine reserves creation through their policies, like
Metro and Walmart, and others, like Safeway, have pledged
not to source from key proposed marine reserve areas. Overall,
Canadas retailers need to play a larger role in ensuring their
seafood sourcing practices are not undermining efforts to
protect and restore ocean life by publicly pledging not to sell
seafood from proposed or existing marine reserves and by
advocating for political action.
Visit greenpeace.ca/oceansanctuaries for more on
Greenpeaces work on ocean sanctuaries.
The Arctic is a hotspot for change. Climate change,
temperature change, changes to ecosystems and changing
ways of life. It is melting, warming, acidifying and being invaded
by species moving north, shing vessels chasing them,
and other industries waiting for the last bit of ice to expose
previously inaccessible, and unknown, riches.
To stop the destruction of one of our Earths most fragile
regions before it happens, Greenpeace is calling for the
creation of an Arctic Sanctuary in the uninhabited area around
the North Pole, a moratorium on industrial shing in previously
unshed areas in national and international waters, and a ban
on offshore drilling. At a workshop of the UN Convention
on Biodiversity in May 2014, this area was dened as an
Ecologically or Biologically Signicant Area, reafrming the
importance of fast and strong protection.
For more about our Save the Arctic campaign, visit
greenpeace.ca/arctic
PROTECTING THE WORLDS REFRIGERATOR
Overwaitea
Retailer:
Policy notes general
support for marine
reserve creation
Have stopped sourcing
one or more products
in support of proposed
marine reserves
Commitment to
actively promote
marine reserve creation
and not source from
proposed or existing
marine reserves
11
BIG STEPS ON BIG SELLERS
FARMED SALMON
As one of the most sold species found on Greenpeaces
Redlist, net-pen farmed salmon is rm on our radar. The
industry continues to pollute, threaten the health of wild sh
stocks near and far, and clash with local communities and
other sectors. Greenpeace is adamant that the time has
come to phase out this inherently awed aquaculture practice
and support sustainable alternatives. Net-pen industry
opponents and wild salmon supporters are growing and the
collective voice is getting stronger, but unsurprisingly, the net-
pen industry and federal government have been reluctant to
change. Luckily, other important players have stepped up and
are taking matters into their own hands, and seafood counters.
Greener solutions come in two forms at this point: salmon
from healthy wild stocks or salmon from closed containment,
recirculation aquaculture systems on land. Atlantic salmon
are commercially extinct on the east coast and various Pacic
salmon stocks are on the decline. In part for this reason,
and because of consumer preference for Atlantic salmon,
closed containment has emerged as a way to give consumers
what they want, without adding further stress to wild stocks.
Various retailers have identied net-pen farmed salmon as a
product that does not t with their commitment to sustainable
seafood. Buy-Low Foods/Nesters Market, a sister company
to Greenpeace-ranked Overwaitea Food Group, removed
net-pen farmed salmon along with various other red-graded
species and havent looked back, joining other retailers such as
Marketplace IGA, Choices Market, Meinhardts, the Big Carrot
and Canadas newest player Target Canada on a growing list
of net-pen free grocers. Safeway may be the next to join this
group as it works to replace net-pen product with a new closed
containment product that just came to market called Kuterra.

Why are more retailers not making the move to rid their shelves
of net-pen farmed salmon? Over the years, Canadas biggest
retailers have offered a variety of reasons (excuses) but the
most common one, other than the fear of negatively impacting
their bottom line, is that because farmed salmon is such a
popular product, their valued customers who purchase net-pen
farmed salmon will go across the street to their competitor if
they no longer make it available. Earlier this year Greenpeace
decided to test this theory by commissioning national polling of
Canadian seafood consumers.
Based on the results, retailers can rest assured that the
majority of their customers will not abandon them if they act
in favour of the oceans. When asked the following question,
thinking about the store or market where you buy most of
your sh and seafood, if that establishment decided to only sell
sustainable salmon products, removing unsustainably farmed
salmon, would you continue to use it as your main source of
sh/seafood, 77 per cent of salmon buyers who shop at the
major grocery chains said yes and only 9.1 per cent said no.
The majority of people who responded that they would buy
their seafood elsewhere noted that they shop at various stores
anyway. Importantly, those who said they would buy their
seafood elsewhere, 79 per cent said they would continue to
buy the rest of their groceries at their regular store. In short,
most people who shop at Loblaw or Sobeys or Walmart loyally,
will continue to do so even if those chains remove destructively
farmed salmon from their shelves.
Kuterra is the latest closed containment initiative in North
America. It is unique for two reasons: it is the rst to grow
Atlantic salmon at a commercial scale and it is First Nation
owned by the Namgis First Nation. Salmon are grown in a
tank on land and the water used in the system is 98 per cent
recirculated or reused. Located near Port McNeill on Vancouver
Island, the current system is able to produce about 470 tonnes
of salmon and expansion is planned to add another four
systems. The farm is currently being assessed by SeaChoice;
however, the group, along with others such as Ocean Wise,
lend their support to the product as an alternative to open net-
pen farmed salmon. Whether Kuterra ticks all the sustainability
boxes has yet to be seen, but its clear that it is a massive
improvement over other farmed Atlantic salmon options.
12
Unfortunately, Overwaitea Food Group (OFG) which had
completely removed net-pen from its shelves in 2012 has
since reintroduced net-pen product back into some stores,
reecting a change in leadership at the company. Instead of
staying true to the many customers and the majority of the
public who applauded OFGs strong step, management broke
its commitment and backtracked. Key to
the successful implementation of a policy is
staying focused on solutions and not getting
bogged down by those that oppose positive
change.
Ultimately, nding sustainable alternatives to
net-pen farmed salmon and discontinuing
net-pen products from sale may not be
easy, but it is necessary. Current eco-
labels for net-pen farmed salmon do not
go far enough to create the necessary
barrier between the farms and marine life.
While most retailers are relying on Best
Aquaculture Practices (BAP) and seeking
Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC)
certied salmon, some are also working
towards greener alternatives. Loblaw is
working to source closed containment
salmon, but has yet to bring any product to
market. Sobeys is exploring its options but
with its Safeway acquisition it is at least one
step closer to a source. And most recently,
Walmart expressed support for closed
containment initiatives in its new policy
edition.
However, Metro, Costco and FCL have yet to take any notable
steps towards replacing net-pen product.
Keeping it sustainably wild is ideal, but if retailers are going to
source their salmon elsewhere, it better be sustainably closed.
43.1%
Yes,
probably
33.9%
Yes, definitely
13.9%
Dont know
7.4%
No, probably not
1.7%
No, definitely not
Thinking about the store or
market where you buy most
of your sh and seafood, if
that establishment decided
to ONLY SELL sustainable
salmon products, removing
unsustainably farmed salmon,
would you continue to use it
as your main source of sh/
seafood?
Q
12.9%
I buy farmed salmon
regularly
11.9%
I am not concerned
about sustainable
issues
51.9%
I shop at many
stores anyway
17.6%
Other reason
5.8%
I support or work for
the farmed salmon industry
What is the main
reason you would not
continue to use that
establishment as your
main source of sh /
seafood?
Q
13
CANNED TUNA
Like farmed salmon, canned tuna is a major seafood seller
in the Canadian retail sector. It is a staple in many Canadian
households and has become one of the cheapest animal
proteins, and certainly sh products, available to consumers.
But the popularity of this favourite sh has come at a cost
to tuna stocks, other marine life and coastal nations that
depend on this sh for their livelihoods.
Most of the canned tuna on supermarket shelves comes
from unsustainable sheries. Tuna stocks are overshed and
declining. Incidental catch of other marine life like sharks,
turtles and sea birds, and juvenile tuna from vulnerable
stocks are common occurrences in the sheries that many
retailers source from both for their private label (in-house)
brands and the national brands that occupy most of the
shelf space. During the last year, more than any other, we
have seen some retailers begin to change that.
All of the retailers sustainable seafood policies cover their
private label canned tuna, though without the same level
of detail or commitment. Safeway is the industry leader on
private label canned tuna. The company has done a complete
replacement of its Safeway brand skipjack tuna previously
caught by purse seine sheries using sh aggregating devices
(FADs) to a FAD-free option. The company is currently also in
the process of conrming a more sustainable source for its
albacore tuna, now caught by conventional longlines.
Other retailers including Loblaw, OFG and Metro have
introduced a more sustainable private label product line
but have yet to make the full switch. In its new edition of its
sustainable seafood policy, Walmart has indicated that it
intends to preferentially source its tuna from more sustainable
sheries including pole and line, troll and FAD-free, but the
company has yet to introduce a more sustainable product line.
Sobeys and Co-op assure that a more sustainable house brand
is imminent but the proof will be on store shelves. Costco does
not have a private label canned tuna product in Canada, but
does stock some more sustainable tuna options.
All of the retailers except Costco and Co-op
5
are ranked on their
private label tuna sourcing in Greenpeace Canadas Canned Tuna
Sustainability Ranking. Greenpeace assesses 14 well-known
5 Not all retailers private label brands are ranked in Greenpeace Canned Tuna
Sustainability Ranking.
Overwaitea
Retailer:
Policy generally covers
private label and
national brand tuna
National brand
sourcing requirements
exceed current industry
standard
Private label sourcing
requirements exceed
current industry
standard
Ocean-friendly private
label product(s)
FAD-free
skipjack
Pole and line
skipjack
Troll-caught
albacore; FAD-
free skipjack;
pole and line
skipjack
Troll-caught
albacore
Pole and line
skipjack by
end of 2014
N/A
14
brands sold in Canada including the national brands that represent
much of the remaining tuna that lines the retailers shelves. Most
of the ranked retailers are on the right track when it comes to
working towards ocean-friendly private label tuna. However, when
it comes to implementing their policy in the rest of the canned tuna
section, they are allowing their greener products to be drowned in
a sea of red-graded national brand tuna.
Some national brand products have introduced more
sustainable products, and while retailers are stocking their
shelves with them, overall they are doing a poor job of replacing
unsustainable brands with those that have clear commitments
to only source ocean-friendly tuna.
If the retailers are serious about greening their canned seafood
aisles, they must start getting stricter about which products
occupy shelf space. The jury is out on which retailer will be
the rst to only stock ocean-friendly tuna. In the meantime,
Greenpeace will be urging the public to only choose brands
offering sustainable alternatives.
For more information about Greenpeaces Canned Tuna
Sustainability Ranking, visit greenpeace.ca/tunaranking. We will
soon be releasing a Canned Tuna Sustainability Guide, rating
over 100 products sold in Canada. For a sneak peak and to
download next month visit greenpeace.ca/tunaapp
Most of the worlds tuna is caught by purse seine nets, usually
employing a sh aggregating device (FAD). FADs are oating
objects set in the ocean to attract sh. The net is set around the
FAD and then the bottom is pulled tight; scooping up everything
around the FAD. FADs make shing easier because the shers
do not have to spend as much time seeking out the tuna, but
they also contribute to the overcapacity of the global tuna eet
because as the industry keeps getting better at catching tuna,
there are fewer and fewer places for the tuna to hide. FADs
dont only attract tuna but also other marine life like sharks,
turtles, rays and various other species that are often killed in the
shing process, leading to thousands of tonnes of wasted marine
life. Baby tuna from vulnerable stocks like bigeye and yellown
are also FAD victims, contributing to their decline. Skipjack is the
main species targeted by this method, but yellown and tongol
are also targeted by purse seines using FADs.
The second most common shing method for tuna is
conventional longlining. Longline vessels set thousands of
baited hooks attached in series on a thick line into the ocean.
They often extend for dozens of kilometres and are suspended
by buoys at the surface. Longlines are extremely indiscriminate
and various species including sea turtles, sea birds and sharks
take the bait and are often drowned. Longline sheries have
contributed to the decline of various seabird, shark and sea
turtle populations around the world. Albacore is usually caught
this way. Yellown and bigeye are also caught by longlines.
Any shing method where there is one hook to one line means
that the sher is going to be better able to control what they
are bringing on board and release non-target catch. Pole and
line, handline and trolling are the most sustainable tuna shing
methods in terms of selectivity.
Purse seine shing without the use of FADs can also
signicantly reduce the amount of other species, including
juvenile bigeye and yellown tuna, being caught. This shing
method is known as free school, FAD-free or unassociated
purse seine shing.
Even longline sheries can dramatically reduce their ecological
footprint when proper mitigation measures are employed.
These measures are usually species-specic and can include
things like using circle shaped (not J-shaped) hooks to reduce
turtle mortality, sinking the lines quickly to avoid catch of
seabirds and not attaching hooks to lines with wire leaders so
that sharks have a chance to pull free.
Greenpeace is urging supermarkets to only source from
sheries using more sustainable shing practices in addition
to ensuring they are avoiding unhealthy stocks, illegally caught
tuna and unfair sheries.
A DEADLY CATCH BETTER WAYS TO CATCH TUNA
Greenpeace sends each retailer a questionnaire and asks
them to respond with detailed information about their seafood
policies and practices. Greenpeace also conducts in-store
surveys to verify the information given. Supermarket proles are
then written and sent to each company to allow them to point
out errors or provide additional information.
Greenpeace grades the supermarkets on their performance in
6 key areas. These include:
n Having a written and implemented Sustainable Seafood
Procurement Policy with criteria that excludes
unsustainable and socially irresponsible seafood from
sourcing decisions
n Working with suppliers to nd more sustainable alternatives
and supporting sheries and aquaculture operations
working to become sustainable
n Ensuring all products containing marine ingredients can be
traced from sea to shelf, eliminating illegal sources from the
supply chain, and third party efforts to verify that suppliers
are meeting sourcing requirements.
n Labeling products with key information that helps
customers make informed decisions, and generally raising
customer awareness about the companys sustainability
initiatives and sustainable seafood.
n Removing red-graded species from store shelves.
n Taking the next step by supporting broader ocean
conservation initiatives.
To get full marks, supermarkets need to have strong,
publicly-available, fully implemented policies that apply to all
products that may contain marine ingredients, not sell any
Redlist seafood, ensure social accountability, and be showing
leadership in creating positive change in our oceans.
BETTER WAYS TO CATCH TUNA
RANKING OVERVIEW: HOW GREENPEACE GRADES
Overwaitea
74%
73%
67%
61%
59%
58%
38%
0
20
40
60
80
100
2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

Good
71% to 100%
Fair
41% to 70%
2014 SUPERMARKET RANKING ON SEAFOOD SUSTAINABILITY
16
ABOUT THE COMPANY
Canada Safeway, formerly owned by Safeway Inc., was
acquired by Sobeys Inc. in 2013. Safeway has operated
over 200 supermarkets, distribution centres, as well as
manufacturing facilities in Western Canada. Safeway stores
currently continue to carry the Safeway banner and traditional
private label brands are still found in stores. Sobeys sold 18
Safeway locations to Federated Co-operatives (FCL) and
Overwaitea Food Group (OFG).
STORE NAMES
Safeway
PRIVATE LABEL BRANDS
Safeway, Safeway SELECT, Pantry Essentials, Priority Pet, Mom
to Mom, Open Nature, Eating Right, Bright Green, Signature
Caf, Primo Taglio, Waterfront Bistro, O Organics and Lucerne.
SUSTAINABLE SEAFOOD POLICY
IMPLEMENTATION
Canada Safeway has been implementing its sustainable
seafood policy that seeks to ensure its fresh, frozen and canned
tuna products are 100 per cent sustainable or in a credible,
time-bound shery or aquaculture improvement project by
2015. Safeways policy contains detailed canned tuna sourcing
requirements for its private label canned tuna.
Safeway has worked with its partner organization, SeaChoice,
to assess the sustainability of its seafood and nd more
sustainable alternatives. Safeways policy implementation
has not yet extended to other product categories; however,
the company will be assessing these products through the
development of a new joint policy under Sobeys leadership.
LABELLING, CONSUMER EDUCATION AND
PROMOTION
Safeway works to educate its customers about its sustainability
initiatives and more sustainable seafood options both online
and in its stores. Safeway puts stickers on products to indicate
SeaChoice best choice or green and some concerns
or yellow designations. The company has also conducted
a labeling pilot program on certain products that included
common name, catch method, whether it is wild or farmed and
the Latin name. Most products still lack key information about
where and how the species was caught or farmed. Additional
CANADA SAFEWAY
74%
Score
1st
Rank
Canada Safeway has worked its way to the top of the ranks this year with a shiny,
new green rating. Once the company committed to sustainable seafood, there was
no turning back and it has taken some bold steps forward. Since the 2012 ranking,
Safeway has been busy working with industry and its suppliers, with the evidence in
the canned tuna aisle and at the seafood counter. Out with the unsustainable products
and in with the new, greener options seems to have become the companys motto,
poising it well for the next phase of implementation into categories beyond fresh, frozen
and canned seafood. With Sobeys acquisition of the company, Safeways procurement
policies and practices will likely change, as the two companies have taken a different
approach to their sustainability commitments. Sobeys should be proud of its new
western presence, adopt the strong elements of Safeways policies and approach,
and chart a new course for the company as a leader not only in sustainable seafood
procurement but in pushing for healthier oceans overall.
17
information is also provided through brochures available at the
seafood counter, in-store signage and SeaChoice wallet guides.
Safeway promotes more sustainable options through signage
and promotional events. The company does, however, continue
to promote unsustainable seafood as well.
REMOVAL AND REPLACEMENT OF REDLIST
SPECIES
Safeway sells 10 species found on Greenpeace Redlist
including rocksh, Atlantic cod, king crab, Fraser river sockeye
salmon, tropical shrimp and prawns, net-pen farmed salmon,
yellown tuna, haddock, Alaska pollock and Atlantic sea
scallops.
Since the last ranking, Safeway has removed a number of red-
graded species including 3 species found on Greenpeaces
Redlist (Pacic hake, Canadian cod, bigeye tuna) and an
additional 5 species red-graded according to SeaChoice.
Safeway has begun replacement of some major red-graded
sellers including net-pen farmed salmon, canned tuna
and tropical shrimp. In 2013, Safeway replaced its private
label destructively shed canned skipjack tuna with a more
sustainable option and introduced a closed containment farmed
salmon option. In early 2014, Safeway replaced some of its net-
pen farmed salmon with a more sustainable closed containment
product. It has also replaced some of its red-graded shrimp
with a green alternative.
TRACEABILITY AND VERIFICATION
Safeway has worked with SeaChoice to ensure its fresh, frozen
and canned tuna products can be traced from the ocean to
stores. Safeway vendors must complete an assessment form
that provides key information about the origin of the products.
Safeway conducts internal audits and indicated that it planned
on requiring a third party traceability regime by 2015. Under the
new joint Sobeys-Safeway policy, a new traceability program
will be created.
GETTING THEIR FEET WET: SUPPORTING
INITIATIVES ON THE WATER
Safeway has not made an overall commitment not to source
from proposed or existing marine reserves. The company has,
however, committed not to source from the Ross Sea or the
proposed high seas marine reserves in the Western and Central
Pacic ocean.
Safeway representatives go beyond participating in industry
sustainability discussions and workshops to supporting
operations working to offer more sustainable alternatives.
Safeway followed through on its intentions to play a role
in bringing closed containment farmed seafood to market
and further, has expressed its support for the Canadian
governments transition away from net-pen aquaculture to
closed containment technology. The company is not currently
actively participating in FIPs and AIPs; however, opportunities
will be further explored under the companys new ownership.
KUDOS
Safeway is tackling top Redlist sellers like
canned tuna, farmed salmon and shrimp
by offering more sustainable options for
each product and working to phase out
Redlist species.
The company amended its sourcing policy to
include comprehensive canned tuna
sustainability requirements, and was the rst
major retailer to replace its private label skipjack
with a more sustainable option.
CONCERNS
A loss of momentum as Sobeys creates a
joint sustainable procurement policy.
Its strong canned tuna sourcing requirements
must also apply to national brand products.
eviden
ce in
th
e
can
n
ed tun
a aisle
an
d at th
e seafood
coun
ter
18
ABOUT THE COMPANY
Loblaw Companies Ltd. is Canadas largest retailer with over
2,300 corporate, associate-owned and franchised store
locations overall, which include over 1,050 grocery stores and
1,250 pharmacies operating under various banners nation-
wide. The company recently acquired Shoppers Drug Mart, the
countrys largest retail pharmacy chain, solidifying its top market
share position. Loblaws headquarters is located in Brampton,
Ontario.
STORE NAMES
Loblaws

, Loblaw Great Food

, Real Canadian Superstore

,
Zehrs Markets

, Zehrs Great Food

, Fortinos

, Your
Independent Grocer

, valu-mart

, nofrills

, Wholesale Club

,
Cash & Carry

, Provigo

, Maxi

, Maxi & Cie

, Club Entrepot

,
Les Entrepots Presto

, Atlantic Superstore

, Dominion

(in
Newfoundland and Labrador), SaveEasy

, Atlantic Cash &

Carry

, Atlantic SuperValu

, Extra Foods

, T&T

, Osaka

,
Loblaws CityMarket, Pharmaprix and Shoppers Drug Mart.
PRIVATE LABEL BRANDS
Presidents Choice

, Blue Menu

, no name

and Seaquest

.
STAINABLE SEAFOOD POLICY IMPLEMENTATION
The Loblaw Sustainable Seafood Commitment applies to all
product categories with marine ingredients. Implementation of
the policy is advanced, except in T&T and the newly acquired
Shoppers Drug Mart stores. Loblaw regularly reviews its policy
and sets annual goals. In 2013, the company amended its policy
to include more detailed sourcing requirements for canned tuna.
Loblaw conducts detailed assessments of the species found in
its seafood and then a decision tree is used to determine the
procurement outcome. Products must either be certied by the
Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) or Aquaculture Stewardship
Council (ASC), be sourced from acceptable sheries with
conditions, or be involved in a sheries improvement project
(FIP) or an aquaculture improvement project (AIP), otherwise
they will be delisted. The implementation deadline for Loblaws
original commitment to source 100 per cent sustainable
seafood by the end of 2013 has passed; however, at that time,
88 per cent of seafood product sales in the fresh, frozen and
canned categories met one of those requirements. Loblaw has
committed to keeping up the momentum to achieve its 100
per cent goal. Loblaw is partnered with WWF and enlists the
scientic expertise of Dr. Jeff Hutchings who advises Loblaw on
species assessments and sourcing decisions
LABELLING, CONSUMER EDUCATION
AND PROMOTION
While Loblaw intends to expand its labeling policy to ensure its
fresh seafood products contain information about how and where
the species was caught or farmed, most products currently
lack this information. Certied products contain a logo and a
sustainability claim. Information about the most common species
and certied products is available on the companys website.
Public and consumer awareness are key components of
Loblaws commitment. From educational material online, to
in-store materials and promotional weeks, to media and other
events, Loblaw prioritizes promotion of its seafood initiatives
and the need for ocean conservation.
LOBLAW COMPANIES LTD.
73%
Score
2nd
Rank
Loblaw has received a green rating in this years ranking and has maintained its second
place position overall. As Canadas leading food retailer and biggest buyer and seller
of seafood, the company bears the brunt of the responsibility for ensuring Canadian
consumers have access to sustainable seafood. It appears that Loblaw continues to
take that responsibility seriously. Though Loblaw and Greenpeace may not see eye to
eye on certication schemes, the company has certainly worked hard to seek eco-label
seafood alternatives for red-graded species in all categories. Though the company
keeps its certied goal in mind, it has evolved its position to also support other more
sustainable initiatives, like closed containment aquaculture. As Loblaw moves ahead,
it must pay extra attention to the majority of its seafood products (58 per cent) that
the company has assessed as acceptable with conditions and ensure acceptable
becomes sustainable. It must also ensure consistency and hold the national brands
it sells to the same standards it does for its house brand suppliers to avoid confusing
consumers about what sustainable really means. As a vocal participant in the
sustainable seafood movement and an advocate for industry improvement, Loblaw is
poised to lead the retail sector in a broader effort to protect our oceans.
19
While the company does promote its more sustainable options
in its stores, it also continues to promote its red-graded products.
REMOVAL AND REPLACEMENT OF REDLIST SPECIES
Loblaw sells 13 species found on Greenpeaces Redlist
including: monksh, hake, king crab, Alaska pollock, tropical
shrimp and prawns, net-pen farmed salmon, Atlantic sea
scallops, haddock, Atlantic cod, yellown tuna, Atlantic halibut,
Chilean sea bass and NZ hoki.
Through Loblaws species assessment process, the company
has identied and discontinued products of various Redlist
species originating from the most problematic sheries and
farms and has sought certied or conditionally acceptable
sources. Currently 138 MSC and ASC certied products,
representing 16 per cent of its core seafood category sales, are
available in stores. Some certied and conditionally sourced
products are not yet sustainable and, therefore, may be found
on Greenpeaces Redlist. Loblaw is seeking more sustainable
alternatives for various red-graded species such as tropical
shrimp and prawns and is supporting closed containment
initiatives for Atlantic farmed salmon.
Loblaw has delisted a number of other unsustainable seafood
products including Atlantic red snapper, Atlantic bay scallop
and others.
TRACEABILITY AND VERIFICATION
Loblaw vendors are required to complete a Vendor
Questionnaire seeking information such as the species scientic
name and information about how and where it was caught
or farmed. The company has also had 228 stores and 6
distribution centres MSC/ASC chain of custody certied, with
the remaining stores with relevant fresh programs intended
to be certied by end of 2014. This represents one of the
largest MSC chain of custody certications globally. Loblaw
conducts internal audits and third party audits for its chain of
custody certied products; however, third party audits are not
conducted for all seafood products.
GETTING THEIR FEET WET: SUPPORTING
INITIATIVES ON THE WATER
Loblaw participates, often in a leadership role, in various
industry sustainability groups, workshops, conferences and
other events. The company is focused on raising awareness
about overshing, other problems facing our oceans and ocean
conservation through its partnership with WWF and supports
efforts such as beach clean-ups and lm screenings. Loblaw
also worked with WWF in supporting a FIP on the east coast
of Canada, and has supported the development of more
sustainable aquaculture operations.
Loblaw is the rst member retailer of the International Fishmeal
and Fishoil Organization (IFFO) aimed at improving the
sustainability of feed used in aquaculture and has provided
comments in the development of aquaculture standards.
While Loblaw has become more engaged on broader industry
sustainability and management issues, the company has yet to
make a public commitment to support the creation of marine
reserves and has not dened explicit sourcing criteria on
proposed and existing protected areas.
KUDOS
Loblaw is the frst retailer to assess and seek more
sustainable alternatives for its pet food and supplements
categories. In 2013, Loblaw became the rst retailer in
North America to offer pet food with MSC certied seafood
ingredients.
Loblaw has a more sustainable PC brand canned albacore
product and has committed to replace the rest of its PC
albacore with ocean-friendly tuna.
Loblaw is an active participant in sustainable seafood
industry forums and initiatives.
CONCERNS
a vocal p
articip
an
t in
th
e sustain
able
seafood m
ovem
en
t
an
d an
advocate
for in
dustry

im
p
rovem
en
t
Loblaws tuna sourcing requirements for its national brand
products are inconsistent with, and weaker than, its private label
sourcing requirements.
Loblaws policy lacks a commitment not to source its seafood
from proposed or existing marine reserves.
T&T is still not to the same level of policy implementation as the
rest of the company.
20
ABOUT THE COMPANY
Metro Inc. is Canadas third largest food retailer, operating
almost 600 conventional and discount supermarkets and over
250 drugstores carrying various banners across Quebec and
Ontario. Metros headquarters is located in Montreal, Quebec.
STORE NAMES
Metro, Metro Plus, Super C, Food Basics, March Richelieu,
Les 5 Saisons, March Ami, Brunet, The Pharmacy and Drug
Basics.
PRIVATE LABEL BRANDS
Selection and Irresistibles
(with sub-brands for each).
SUSTAINABLE SEAFOOD POLICY
IMPLEMENTATION
Metros Sustainable Fisheries Policy, which originally applied
only to fresh and frozen seafood, now covers all products with
seafood as an ingredient across all categories. The policy applies
to all stores, distribution centres and foodservice. In 2013, Metro
amended its policy to include a specic section for its private
label canned tuna products. The company has taken a phased
approach to implementation, starting with fresh, frozen and
canned seafood products, and then moving into other product
categories in early 2015.
Metro has a clear decision-making process. Once product
information is obtained, it is analyzed against Metros sourcing
criteria and a risk assessment is conducted. If the product is
considered to be at risk-red, Metro then determines whether it
will be temporarily withdrawn or whether an improvement plan
can be created. Continuous Improvement Plans can include
seeking alternatives, improving current practices or requiring
third party certication. Improvement plans are placed in order of
priority based on the level of risk and the value of the product for
the company. Metro regularly evaluates the progress of species/
products with improvement plans.
Metro has a dedicated marine scientist who guides the company
on policy implementation and species assessments.
Equitability and working conditions are evaluated, but separately
from the risk assessment process.
METRO
67%
Score
3rd
Rank
Metro moved up the ranks again this year into 3rd place with a large jump in score.
Metro is very thorough, focused and diligent in the implementation of its sustainable
seafood policy, and transparent about its practices. The company is a trail-blazer in
the retail sector when it comes to sharing key information on its house brand seafood
product labels, and ensuring those products are in fact what they claim to be. Metro
keeps making progress, but it must remember to keep the sustainability bar high and
ensure Redlist species placed in its continuous improvement program have shortened
timelines to achieve sustainability. As the company moves into the next phase of policy
implementation in other categories, it would serve Metro well to set some clear goals
and ensure the national brands it sells arent let off the hook by ensuring consistency
in policy implementation. Then Metro customers can be one step closer to only having
ocean-friendly options.
21
LABELLING, CONSUMER EDUCATION
AND PROMOTION
Metro has a comprehensive labeling scheme for its private label
and fresh counter seafood. Product labels contain the common
and scientic name, the FAO area or stock, country of origin, the
production method and shing or farming method. Information
on labels are revised and often updated. Canned seafood
products carry some information through inkjet labeling on the
top of cans. Metro does not currently require national brands to
contain the same information on product labels.
Metro works to educate its customer online and in-stores with
signage, promotional materials, yers and radio messages.
Metro suggests species to discover on its website, highlighting
species that meet the companys sustainability criteria. While the
company promotes products it deems to be more sustainable
options, it also promotes unsustainable products in yers.
REMOVAL AND REPLACEMENT OF
REDLIST SPECIES
Metro sells 15 species on Greenpeaces Redlist including:
Chilean sea bass, Arctic surf clams, swordsh, monksh,
Atlantic halibut, rocksh, hake, yellown tuna, Atlantic cod
(except Northwest Atlantic cod), king crab, haddock, Atlantic
sea scallops, Alaska pollock, net-pen farmed salmon and
tropical shrimp and prawns.
Metro has removed various red-graded species from sale
including Atlantic redsh and white hake found on Greenpeace
Redlist and other species that did not meet Metros criteria
including red snapper, parrotsh, grouper and red mullet. Metro
also continues to seek more sustainable alternatives, like pole
and line skipjack tuna. The rest of the species on Greenpeaces
Redlist sold by Metro have improvement plans.
TRACEABILITY AND VERIFICATION
Metro conducts vendor surveys to gather information about
how and where the species found in the products it sources
were caught or farmed. Metro can trace its fresh, frozen and
canned tuna products from sea to shelf and consults relevant
blacklists to ensure that vessels and companies it sources from
are not involved in illegal activities. Metro conducts internal
audits to ensure its products are meeting its criteria, but does
not require third party audits to be conducted. The company
does, however, have DNA testing completed by an external
laboratory to combat seafood fraud.
GETTING THEIR FEET WET: SUPPORTING
INITIATIVES ON THE WATER
Metros policy notes its support for the creation of marine
reserves and has indicated that its actions and projects will
reect this position. Metro has removed seafood that originates
from the Ross Sea, which is a proposed marine reserve.
Metro is not currently actively participating in FIPs and AIPs;
however, the company is seeking opportunities to be more
involved on the water. Metro has funded a UNESCO Chair
position involved in marine ecosystem analysis.
KUDOS
Metro is conducting DNA testing on seafood to ensure
products are labeled properly and verify traceability
information. This compliments Metros thorough house brand
seafood labeling scheme.
Metro introduced a new pole and line canned skipjack
product in early 2014 under its Irresistibles brand.
Metros policy notes its support for the creation of
protected areas in accordance with global targets of
protecting 10 per cent of marine and coastal zones by 2020.
CONCERNS
th
orough
, focused
an
d diligen
t in
th
e im
p
lem
en
tation
of its
sustain
able seafood
p
olicy

Metro has yet to invest in solutions for big Redlisted sellers like
farmed salmon.
On another big seller, canned tuna, while the company has
introduced a pole and line canned skipjack product under its
Irresistibles brand, the rest of its private label skipjack and most
of the national brand tuna comes from unsustainable sources.
22
ABOUT THE COMPANY
Overwaitea Food Group (OFG) is owned by the British
Columbia-based Jim Pattison Group and operates in western
Canada. The company is the largest western-based food chain.
In 2014, the company acquired 15 new stores from Sobeys Inc.
STORE NAMES
Overwaitea Foods, Save-On-Foods, PriceSmart Foods,
Coopers Foods, Urban Fare and Bulkley Valley Wholesale.
PRIVATE LABEL BRANDS
Western Classics, Western Family, Value Priced and
Good & Kind.
SUSTAINABLE SEAFOOD POLICY
IMPLEMENTATION
OFG has a sustainable seafood sourcing policy that applies
to all products containing marine ingredients that it intends to
implement by 2020. In 2013, the company amended its policy
to include specic canned tuna sourcing criteria and made a
full commitment to source only ocean-friendly private label tuna
by end of 2015. OFG has not yet assessed all of its products
containing marine ingredients. The company has made its
sustainability commitment publicly available through its website.
OFG works with SeaChoice to assess the sustainability of
seafood species and on the implementation of the companys
sustainability commitment.
OVERWAITEA FOOD GROUP (OFG)
61%
Score
4th
Rank
Overwaitea Food Group (OFG) has fallen from its 2012 rst place position and its green
rating to 4th place in this years ranking. While the company continues to move forward
with its policy implementation, and continues to introduce ocean-friendly options for its
customers, there are some changes within the company that are worrying. OFG seems
to be becoming less transparent and did not respond to this years retailer survey. In
2012, OFG took a bold step forward by removing net-pen farmed salmon, and stepped
back in 2013 putting its dedication to seafood sustainability into question. Will OFG
continue to work towards its sustainability goals with the same level of attention that led
the company to the top of the ranking two out of ve times? Greenpeace hopes so.
23
LABELLING, CONSUMER EDUCATION
AND PROMOTION
OFG provides detailed information about the species on sale at
the seafood counter in a SeaChoice Reference Guide and labels
its green and yellow rated products with SeaChoice stickers.
Information such as production method is provided on some
labels; however, most product labels lack information about
how and where the species was caught or farmed. Through
its SeaChoice partnership, OFG shares information about the
sustainability of various species through its website, along with
suggestions of better options for red-rated seafood.
REMOVAL AND REPLACEMENT OF
REDLIST SPECIES
OFG currently sells 10 species found on Greenpeaces Redlist
including: rocksh, Alaska pollock, Fraser river sockeye
salmon, Atlantic sea scallops, haddock, Atlantic cod, yellown
tuna, monksh, net-pen farmed salmon and tropical shrimp and
prawns. Since the last ranking OFG has introduced two more
sustainable canned skipjack tuna products through its Western
Family brand, and continues to seek alternatives for red-graded
species such as tropical shrimp.
TRACEABILITY AND VERIFICATION
OFG can trace most products from sea to shelf and has worked
with SeaChoice to get to know its seafood supply chains. The
company does not, however, have third party audits conducted
to ensure suppliers are meeting all the sustainable sourcing
requirements. Third party audits are only done for some certied
species.
GETTING THEIR FEET WET: SUPPORTING
INITIATIVES ON THE WATER
In the canned tuna section of its sustainability policy, OFG
notes that it will respect closures and shing bans and respects
the creation of marine reserves to allow the recovery of tuna
stocks and other marine life. However, the company does not
have an overall commitment to avoid sourcing its seafood from
proposed marine reserves and to play a role in pushing for
increased marine conservation. The company does source from
improvement projects but is not currently playing a more active
role in improving problematic sheries it sources from.
KUDOS
Along with the amendment of its sustainability policy to include
strong tuna sourcing requirements, OFG introduced two more
sustainable Western Family canned tuna products since the
last ranking a pole and line and a FAD-free skipjack.
OFG replaced some of its red-graded tropical shrimp and
prawns with a new SeaChoice green-graded Selva Shrimp
product. The black tiger prawns are raised through Integrated
Mangrove Forest Management in their natural habitat
without any feed or chemical inputs by small-scale farmers in
Southeast Asia.
CONCERNS
h
as fallen
from

its 2012 first p
lace
p
osition
an
d its
green
ratin
g
OFG reintroduced net-pen farm salmon to some stores after
discontinuing it.
OFG has yet to amend its policy to cover equitability and social
accountability issues.
The company does not have a clear commitment not to source
from proposed or existing marine reserves.
24
ABOUT THE COMPANY
Walmart Canada is the Canadian division of Wal-Mart
Stores Inc. the worlds biggest retailer. With the Canadian
headquarters in Mississauga, Ontario, the chain operates about
390 discount stores and supercentres across Canada.
STORE NAMES
Walmart and Walmart Supercentre.
PRIVATE LABEL BRANDS
Walmart, Great Value, Equate, Special Kitty and Ol Roy.
SUSTAINABLE SEAFOOD POLICY
IMPLEMENTATION
Walmart Canadas Commitment to Sustainable Seafood has
been expanded to include all product categories where
seafood is the primary ingredient. The foundation of Walmarts
commitment is still third party certication, but the new edition
has an increased focus on shery improvement projects (FIPs)
and aquaculture improvement projects (AIPs). Walmart will
continue to source from sheries or aquaculture operations
with concerns if the operation has entered into a credible FIP
or AIP with clear goals and established timelines, and project
plans must have been nalized by April 30, 2014. The company
amended its commitment to include a more detailed canned
tuna sourcing section that applies to both national brand and
Great Value products. Walmarts policy intends to hold suppliers
accountable with a clause noting that the company will de-list
seafood products from suppliers who refuse to improve the
environmental performance of their operations, and those in
FIPs/AIPs that fail to meet established timelines. Walmart has
not yet implemented its policy in categories beyond fresh,
frozen and canned tuna. Walmart has partnered with the
Sustainable Fisheries Partnership (SFP) to help implement its
commitment.
Walmart has separate social responsibility standards that apply
to its seafood.
WALMART CANADA
59%
Score
5th
Rank
Walmarts position in the ranking has remained the same since 2012, but the
companys score has gone up; reecting some positive steps forward. With the
expiry of the rst edition of its sustainable seafood sourcing policy at the end of 2013,
Walmart Canada has created a new, more detailed policy that can be found on its
website. The company is moving in the right direction by strengthening its sustainability
commitment on paper, and Greenpeace hopes to see these changes reected on store
shelves. A good place to start is with its Great Value canned tuna now that the intent to
source more ocean-friendly tuna has been made public. Walmarts next steps should
be to assess the sustainability of the marine ingredients found in its other categories,
and to set some time-bound implementation objectives to ensure the company stays
on the right track.
25
LABELLING, CONSUMER EDUCATION
AND PROMOTION
Walmarts new commitment pledges to work with its vendor-
partners to improve its seafood product labeling to include
common name, area of catch/farm, and where possible the
method of catch/farm. However, currently little sustainability
information is provided on labels, in stores or on the website.
REMOVAL AND REPLACEMENT OF
REDLIST SPECIES
Walmart sells 7 species on Greenpeaces Redlist including:
Atlantic cod (not Canadian cod), Alaska pollock, tropical shrimp
and prawns, net-pen farmed salmon, Atlantic sea scallops,
haddock and yellown tuna.
TRACEABILITY AND VERIFICATION
Walmart is able to trace most of its fresh, frozen and canned
tuna products from sea to shelf. The company does conduct
internal audits of its seafood sourcing; however, external audits
are not conducted with the exception of third party chain of
custody for some certied products.
GETTING THEIR FEET WET: SUPPORTING
INITIATIVES ON THE WATER
Walmarts new policy states that it supports marine protected
areas where there is a strong scientic basis, or there is
an established agreed upon conservation measure in the
RFMO (Regional Fisheries Management Organizations), and
encourages suppliers to avoid sourcing from closed areas. The
company has not yet played an active role in such conservation
initiatives.
While Walmarts policy is largely focused on FIPs and AIPs, the
company is not yet playing a key role in these projects. It does,
however, attend FIP/AIP roundtables organized by its NGO
partner, SFP.
KUDOS
Walmarts new policy edition notes its support for closed
containment salmon farm development.
Walmat has adopted canned tuna sourcing requirements
that apply to its national brand and private label
products.
Walmarts policy notes its support for the creation of
marine protected areas.
CONCERNS
m
ovin
g in
th
e
righ
t direction

by
stren
gth
en
in
g
its sustain
ability

com
m
itm
en
t on

p
ap
er
While Walmart may support closed containment salmon
development on paper, it has not taken steps to invest in
any projects.
Walmart continues to rely heavily on certifcations, but not
all certications are created equal and none of them have
a strong enough standard for key species like farmed
salmon.
26
ABOUT THE COMPANY
Federated Co-operatives Ltd. (FCL) is owned by about 225
retail Co-ops located across Western Canada, with its head
ofce in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. FCL provides central
wholesaling, marketing and administration to its member-
owners. FCL is a separate entity to Co-op Atlantic, which
serves the eastern provinces. Co-op customers have
memberships and are part owners of the company.
STORE NAMES
Co-op, Marketplace, The Grocery People, Super A Foods and
Bigway Foods.
PRIVATE LABEL BRANDS
Country Morning Gold and Co-op Gold.
SUSTAINABLE SEAFOOD POLICY
IMPLEMENTATION
FCL has a sustainable seafood policy that applies to its
fresh, frozen and canned tuna products. FCL is committed
to providing seafood that meets SeaChoice green and yellow
ratings, or that is in a credible sheries improvement project
(FIP) or aquaculture improvement project (AIP). The rst phase
of policy implementation covered fresh and frozen products,
and now the company is starting to focus on its private label
canned tuna. FCL has partnered with SeaChoice to help the
company assess the sustainability of the species it sells and to
advise on procurement practices and consumer education.
FEDERATED CO-OPERATIVES LTD. (FCL)
58%
Score
6th
Rank
Federated Co-operatives Ltd. (FCL) has been quietly working on implementation
of its policy since the last ranking, causing an increase in its score since 2012.
Implementation of the companys sustainable seafood policy is well underway and with
the help of its partner, SeaChoice, FCL has been identifying species of concern and
replacing them with green and yellow options. As FCL continues to push forward, it
should live up to its policy requirement of supporting reform and, in the spirit of
co-operation, determine what more the company can do to protect the oceans.
27
LABELLING, CONSUMER EDUCATION
AND PROMOTION
FCL provides information about the sustainability of its products
through a Sustainable Seafood Reference Manual created
by SeaChoice, and provides educational material in stores to
familiarize its customers with the SeaChoice labels and more
sustainable seafood options. FCL is currently working to provide
more information on seafood products including the country of
origin and the gear type on labels. FCL also provides information
about its initiatives on its website. The company does, however,
continue to promote unsustainable seafood products.
REMOVAL AND REPLACEMENT OF
REDLIST SPECIES
FCL sells 8 species found on Greenpeaces Redlist including:
King crab, Alaska pollock, Fraser river sockeye salmon, tropical
shrimp and prawns, net-pen farm salmon, Atlantic sea scallops,
haddock and yellown tuna.
FCL has replaced a number SeaChoice red-rated species with
more sustainable, green-rated options.
TRACEABILITY AND VERIFICATION
FCL conducts some internal audits but has yet to have external
third party audits done against their sustainability requirements.
GETTING THEIR FEET WET: SUPPORTING
INITIATIVES ON THE WATER
FCL plans to pursue shery and aquaculture improvement
project opportunities in 2014, but to date had not played
an active role in pushing for change on the water beyond
supporting more sustainable operations through its sourcing.
The companys policy has a commitment to policy reform but
it lacks a commitment to not source from proposed or existing
marine reserves.
KUDOS
FCL amended its sustainability commitment to cover its
private label canned tuna products.
FCL has removed over a dozen species that are red-
rated by SeaChoice and replaced them with yellow or
green-rated products.
CONCERNS
im
p
lem
en
tation

of th
e com
p
an
y
s
sustain
able seafood
p
olicy
is w
ell
un
derw
ay

FCLs policy does not yet apply to other categories

containing marine ingredients.
FCL has not yet indicated when Co-op brand customers
can expect ocean-friendly canned tuna.
ABOUT THE COMPANY
Sobeys is Canadas second largest food retail chain. Sobeys
is owned by Empire Company Ltd., which is a Sobeys family
company. Sobeys acquired Canada Safeway in 2013
1
,
growing its presence in Western Canada. Sobeys operates
over 1000 supermarkets (corporate, franchised, conventional,
discount) and pharmacies across Canada carrying various
banners, currently including most Safeway stores. Corporate
headquarters are located in Stellarton, Nova Scotia.
STORE NAMES
Sobeys, IGA Extra, IGA, Needs, Price Chopper, Foodland,
Thrifty Foods, Les Marchs Tradition, Western Cellars, Rachelle-
Bry, Lawtons Drugs and currently most Safeway branded
stores.
PRIVATE LABEL BRANDS
Compliments (with sub-brands including Compliments,
Sensations, Compliments Organic and Compliments Collection)
and Signal. (see Safeway prole for Safeway private label
brands)
1 Sobeys and Safeway are being assessed and scored separately because a
new, merged policy has not yet been created covering both companies.
SUSTAINABLE SEAFOOD POLICY
IMPLEMENTATION
Sobeys Sustainable Seafood Policy covers all products
with seafood as an ingredient. The rst edition of Sobeys
policy, which expired at the end of 2013, took a shery and
aquaculture improvement approach, meaning unsustainable
products are removed as a last resort. Sobeys partnered with
Sustainable Fisheries Partnership (SFP) to help the company
assess the sustainability of its seafood products and identify
sheries and aquaculture operations in need of improvement
which the company could engage with. Policy implementation
has focused on fresh, frozen and canned seafood to date.
Sobeys will have a new policy edition later this year, covering
both Sobeys and Safeway stores. As the company creates its
new policy, it will also be assessing other categories based on
a new decision tree. Sobeys has indicated that timelines for
change for products in improvement projects will be enforced
under the new policy.
Sobeys does not have a detailed policy covering social
accountability issues but it does require certain high risk
products to undergo a third party audit to verify compliance.
Sobeys Thrifty Foods chain, located in British Columbia, works
with Ocean Wise to implement its policy. Thrifty engaged on
sustainable seafood before Sobeys created its policy and
takes a slightly different approach to its sustainable seafood
commitment.
LABELLING, CONSUMER EDUCATION AND
SOBEYS
58%
Score
6th
Rank
Sobeys may not have moved up the ranks this year, but the company is undergoing a
transition period that could result in a stronger approach to sustainable seafood sourcing.
Following its acquisition of Safeway, this years ranking leader, Sobeys has its hands full
to merge the two chains sustainable seafood procurement policies and chart a new
course. While the two retailers have had a very different approach to their sustainability
commitments, Sobeys should take note of some of the bold steps that places Safeway
ahead of the rest. After little progress by the company in the lead up to the 2012 ranking,
there seems to be a sea change in Sobeys corporate ofces. Lets hope we start seeing
some of these changes on store shelves later this year that evolves into Sobeys taking a
leadership role in supporting conservation initiatives on the water.
29
PROMOTION
Sobeys does not provide key sustainability information such
as where and how sh is caught or farmed on most products.
Customers can nd out more information about some species
through the companys website, and through This Fish website
that tells the story from sea to shelf about certain products.
The species featured, however, are not necessarily more
sustainable options. While the company promotes some of its
more sustainable options, it still also promotes unsustainable
products such as net-pen farmed salmon.
REMOVAL AND REPLACEMENT OF
REDLIST SPECIES
Sobeys sells 17 species found on Greenpeaces Redlist
including: bigeye tuna, Chilean sea bass, swordsh, monksh,
Greenland halibut, Atlantic halibut, redsh and rocksh, hake,
yellown tuna, Atlantic cod, king crab, Fraser river sockeye
salmon, haddock, Atlantic sea scallops, Alaska pollock, net-pen
farmed salmon, and tropical shrimp and prawns.
Sobeys removed red-graded Arctic surf clam since the last
ranking, and has sought certied alternatives for some red-
graded species.
TRACEABILITY AND VERIFICATION
Sobeys works with its partner, SFP, to obtain traceability
information about the species it sells. The company is able to
trace most of its fresh and frozen seafood from sea to shelf;
however, information on products in other categories has not
been fully gathered. Sobeys conducts internal audits on its
seafood products but does not require third party audits to be
completed. Some third party audits are completed to ensure
social compliance.
GETTING THEIR FEET WET: SUPPORTING
INITIATIVES ON THE WATER
Sobeys does not have a clear commitment to support and
not source from proposed and existing marine reserves. In the
past, Sobeys has discontinued product sourced from the Ross
Sea a proposed marine reserve off Antarctica. The companys
tuna sourcing requirements also note that shing vessels that
it sources from must avoid shing in areas with temporary
closures and ratied marine protected areas as set out by
Regional Fisheries Management Organizations (RFMOs).
Sobeys has plans to become actively involved in FIPs/AIPs
in the coming months; however, the companys current
involvement only involves sourcing from these projects.
KUDOS
Sobeys policy applies to all products containing marine
ingredients and the company will begin implementation
of its policy to other product categories later in 2014.
Following the expiration of Sobeys frst sustainable
seafood policy edition, the company is in the process of
revamping its sustainable seafood sourcing policy that
will be complete later in 2014.
CONCERNS
un
dergoin
g a
tran
sition
p
eriod
th
at could result in
a
stron
ger ap
p
roach
to sustain
able seafood
Rumour has it that Sobeys customers might have more
sustainable canned tuna products available later this year;
however, the company has not yet indicated whether it
will replace all of its private label canned tuna with ocean-
friendly products.
Sobeys sells the most species found on Greenpeaces
Redlist of all eight major retailers.
30
ABOUT THE COMPANY
Costco is a US-owned company with its US headquarters
in Issaquah, Washington and its Canadian headquarters in
Ottawa, Ontario. Unlike most other large retailers, Costco
customers must be members. Over 80 Costco warehouses are
found across the country.
STORE NAMES
Costco Wholesale.
PRIVATE LABEL BRANDS
Kirkland.
SUSTAINABLE SEAFOOD POLICY
IMPLEMENTATION
Costco has a seafood sustainability policy that covers its fresh,
frozen and canned tuna products. The policy lacks detailed
criteria against which the company assesses the sustainability
and equitability of the seafood it sources. The company set
goals to only source certied products for some species like
tilapia; however, it is unclear whether Costco is meeting its
objectives.
LABELLING, CONSUMER EDUCATION AND
PROMOTION
Costco does not provide information about how and where the
seafood it sells was caught and farmed on product labels or on
its website. Aside from posting its sustainability policy online, it
does not educate its customers about sustainable seafood or
the need to protect our oceans. Costco continues to promote
unsustainable sh.
COSTCO CANADA
38%
Score
8th
Rank
Costco has placed 8
th
in the last few rankings, and this year decided not to respond to
Greenpeace Canadas retailer seafood survey. Costco remains the only company without
a passing grade in Canada, and is barely scraping by in the US according to Greenpeace
US 2014 Carting Away the Oceans report. Transparency on the companys seafood
purchasing policies and practices is clearly not its strong suit. But who would know what
is? It isnt only Greenpeace that Costco keeps information from. In-store signage and
information about the companys sustainable seafood initiatives is nowhere to be found
and most product labels still lack key information. But more urgently, is Costco going
to do anything about the remaining unsustainable products it is selling to its members?
Weve written Costco off as a true advocate for our oceans, but lets hope it wont also
fail its membership on working to provide only ocean-friendly seafood products.
31
REMOVAL AND REPLACEMENT OF
REDLIST SPECIES
Costco sells 8 species found on Greenpeace Redlist including
king crab, Alaska Pollock, Fraser river sockeye salmon, tropical
shrimp and prawns, farmed salmon, Atlantic sea scallops,
yellown tuna and haddock.
TRACEABILITY AND VERIFICATION
It is unclear whether Costco conducts any regular internal or
external traceability audits.
GETTING THEIR FEET WET: SUPPORTING
INITIATIVES ON THE WATER
Costco executives have participated in industry working groups
on setting standards for seafood certication, but the company
recently withdrew its membership in the Global Partnership
for Oceans, a multi-interest alliance focused on identifying and
tackling threats to the oceans.
KUDOS
Sources some ocean-friendly canned tuna options.
CONCERNS
w
ritten
Costco off as a true advocate for
our ocean
s
It is unclear where they are in their policy implementation.
Costcos policy does not cover all products containing
marine ingredients such as canned seafood, pet-food and
supplements.
Costco has not made an effort to look at the big picture
and support wider conservation initiatives.
Overwaitea
Retailer:
Orange roughy
Bluen tuna
Sharks
Skates and rays
Bigeye tuna
Greenland halibut
NZ hoki
Chilean sea bass
Arctic surf clams
Swordsh
Monksh
Atlantic halibut
Redsh/rocksh
Hake
Atlantic cod
King crab
Fraser river sockeye
salmon
Tropical shrimp and
prawns
Farmed Atlantic salmon
Yellown tuna
Haddock
Atlantic sea scallops
Alaska pollock
REDLIST REMOVALS 2014
Not sold in supermarkets
Still sold in supermarkets
Note: Certain red-graded species sold by some retailers
are part of a time-bound improvement plan, through
which producers work to become sustainable. Consult
company proles for more information.
For more information about
Redlist species visit:
greenpeace.ca/redlist
33
Greenpeace is an independent, campaigning organisation
which uses non-violent, creative confrontation to expose global
environmental problems, and to force the solutions which are
essential to a green and peaceful future.
Greenpeace Canada
33 Cecil Street Toronto, Ontario M5T 1N1
454 Laurier Avenue East, Montral, Qubec H2J 1E7
6238-104 Street NW, Edmonton, Alberta T6H 2K9
1726 Commercial Drive, Vancouver, British Colombia V5N 4A3
1 800 320 7183
www.greenpeace.ca