More and more fish and seafood is being consumed around the world. And for good reason! Both are low in fat and packed with high-quality protein plus important minerals and vitamins. However, rising demand is leading to overfishing. We are therefore committed to sustainable fishing.
We are committed to a sustainable value chain for fish and seafood – for products at the open-sale counter, in the frozen section or in the restaurant. Sustainable means that WWF rates our entire fish range as recommended or acceptable. We also offer the largest selection of organic-grade seafood in Switzerland.
(Evaluation period: 2023)
As a founding member of the WWF Seafood Group, we have our entire range of fish and seafood regularly audited for sustainability by the WWF. As part of this process, our range is divided into six levels of risk. This means we are always able to respond swiftly and either ban endangered species from our range or replace them with sustainable alternatives. We have completely eliminated from our range the products in the top three levels of risk. These include shark products as well as sturgeon and caviar, unless they are from our own sustainable breeding programme at Tropenhaus Frutigen. This consumer guide published by the WWF and Coop provides an overview of the fish species available from us.
You can find more information about our commitment in the area of fish and seafood as well as three delicious recipes in the information brochure published by the WWF and Coop.
As an alternative to wild-caught fish, fish farming in aquacultures is currently experiencing something of a boom. However, we still know relatively little about the requirements for humane fish farming. For example, how many fish should be kept in a tank to ensure the well-being of a schooling fish?
We therefore commissioned a study from Swiss Animal Protection (SAP). The study assessed aquacultures for edible fish from an animal protection perspective and highlighted potential problem areas, opportunities and risks. Based on the findings, together with SAP we are now reviewing our range and will take measures as necessary.
The overfishing of our oceans is a problem that has become increasingly relevant in recent decades. To counter this trend, since 2000 we have been constantly expanding our range of sustainably sourced fish and seafood. We have documented our sourcing principles in our «Guideline on Sustainable Sourcing of Fish and Seafood». We are pursuing the goal of switching our entire product range of marine fish, crustaceans, mussels and freshwater fish (farmed or wild-caught) to sustainably produced, environmentally friendly and stock-preserving aquacultures and fisheries.
