With a commitment to source 100% of its own label farmed seafood as ASC certified, Sainsbury’s now offer the widest range of ASC certified products to customers in the UK market.

Graph provided by ASC

The ASC UK Retail Supplier of the Year was awarded to Mowi Consumer Products for the very first time, recognising the work which is involved from the supply base to drive sustainability within the supply chain.

Sainsbury’s and Mowi have a long-standing relationship and are both committed to sourcing seafood responsibly. The Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) is the world's leading certification scheme for farmed seafood and highlights the work that we have done together. Their mission is to transform the industry towards environmental and social responsibility.

More on wild caught and ASC fish

Dave Parker, Sainsbury's Aquaculture and Fisheries Manager, said:"We are delighted to have won ASC UK Retailer of the Year. We know how important it is for our customers and colleagues that products are responsibly sourced, and it is testament to the efforts and progress our teams have made. This year we were the first supermarket to have 100% own label certified fresh Scottish salmon which we hope gives our customers confidence that our fresh farmed seafood is responsibly sourced. We'll continue to work closely with our supplier and the ASC to ensure food is sourced responsibly."

Chris Ninnes, ASC CEO, said:"Congratulations to Sainsbury's and Mowi for winning this year's ASC UK Awards. These awards recognise, not only the significant commitment that it takes for a retailer to covert its entire seafood category to responsibly produced aquaculture, but also the dedication of one of its major suppliers to meet these commitments. This takes collective hard work throughout the supply chain to deliver certified seafood on a daily basis"

Ninnes also added: “I would like to offer a huge personal thanks to both companies. These commitments along with those from a growing band of other processors, farmers and retail businesses will be the catalysts for future improvements to the many local and global supply chains providing the UK with its seafood.”

Dougie Hunter, Technical & Operations Director for Mowi, said: “Mowi is committed to providing its customers with a leading third-party certification that recognises companies that go above and beyond regarding social and environmental criteria. The ASC standard helps Mowi build trust with leading retailers like Sainsbury’s who rightfully expect top quality and responsibly raised seafood. It’s great to be recognised for the exceptional work Mowi does to bring Sainsbury’s salmon to the table.”

Lorraine Gallagher, UK Market Development Manager for ASC said: “It has been a pleasure working with these partners who have gone above and beyond this year to offer the largest range of ASC certified seafood to our UK customers. I look forward to continued collaboration and achievements.”