Sainsbury’s breaks the UK record for sustainably sourced fish

• Largest UK retailer of MSC launches 100^th fish product
• MSC growth of 31% Year on Year
• Peppered Hot Smoked Mackerel Fillets is most popular MSC fish

Sainsbury's is today announcing the launch of its 100th MSC certified product, leading the way as the largest UK retailer of sustainably sourced seafood. Icelandic line caught Haddock will add to the already well established and successful MSC certified products available in-store including Cornish sardines and basics pollock fish fingers.

Working in exclusive partnership with suppliers, the launch also marks the first MSC certified fishery in Icelandas well as the 100^th MSC Sainsbury's product. Last October, Sainsbury's announced a sustainability plan to achieve 20 goals by 2020, including all fish will be independently certified as sustainable.

Ally Dingwall, Aquaculture & Fisheries Manager, Sainsbury's says: "We're proud to continue to lead the way in offering sustainable seafood to our customers. As the UK's largest retailer of MSC and Freedom Food fish, we always source food as responsibly as possible. At Sainsbury's we know that customers want the peace of mind that the fish they buy is as sustainable as possible, which is why we will continue to boost the amount of MSC certified fish available in our stores."

"With such a stretching target that we have set ourselves by 2020, it's great to celebrate a landmark such as this."

Toby Middleton, UK Country Manager for the MSC says: "Sainsbury's has led a race to the top as the first retailer in the world to reach this milestone and this is a reflection of their long-standing commitment to MSC certified sustainable seafood. Sainsbury's has set the bar very high for retailers around the world and continue to work to raise it. The 2020 commitment is a perfect example of this and Sainsbury's can be justifiably proud of their achievements."

MSC (Marine Stewardship Council) works with global fisheries to promote seafood traceability and sustainable fishing practises.  Standards meet the world's toughest best practice guidelines and are helping to transform global seafood markets. All of MSC-labelled seafood can be traced back to a sustainable fishery.

Notes to editors

• By 2020, all the fish Sainsbury's sells will be independently certified as sustainable and we'll strengthen our position as the leading retailer for sustainable seafood. Learn more about out 20 by 20 sustainability plan.
• Our first MSC product, Thames Herring was launched in March 2000.
• Sainsbury's is the largest retailer of Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certified sustainable fish in the UK.
• Sainsbury's has been rated Number 1 by Greenpeace for the responsible sourcing of canned tuna in 2008 and again in 2011.
• All Sainsbury's canned tuna is caught by pole and line.
• Sainsbury's sells a wide selection of regionally sourced fish on its counters, including Dab, Coley, British Pollack and MSC-certified Cornish sardines.
• In 2008, Sainsbury's launched its responsibly sourced salmon which is specially reared on RSPCA Freedom Food approved farms on the West Coast and Islands of Scotland.
• Sainsbury's salmon feeds do not contain any artificial colourants and only fish from well managed sources are included in the diet.
• Sainsbury's was awarded Seafood Retailer of the Year by the Retail Industry Awards in 2010.
• All wild salmon is MSC certified.
• All cod and haddock from the counters is now MSC certified.