Retailers urged to ethically source their products

Aldi Australia says all its own-brand fish and seafood will be responsibly sourced by the end of 2020

Retailers are being encouraged to create sustainable practices in their supply chains, after Aldi became the first retailer in Australia to commit to voluntarily disclose where its wild caught seafood products are sourced.

Aldi Australia last month announced it was joining the Ocean Disclosure Project, which aims to make all seafood sustainably produced by driving greater transparency in global seafood supply chains.

As part of the project, Aldi will share where its seafood is coming from and how it is being caught, in line with the company’s wider commitment to ensure all Aldi own-brand seafood is responsibly sourced by the end of 2020.

Daniel Baker, Aldi Australia’s corporate responsibility director, told Pro Bono News Australian customers now expected the food they buy to be ethically sourced.

“We have recognised customer demand for more sustainable products and as such, are dedicated to providing high quality, responsibly sourced products,” Baker said.

“The Ocean Disclosure Project is one way we encourage transparent operations and reassure customers that we have taken responsible action to safeguard our oceans.”

Research has shown that 83 per cent of seafood consumers globally believe there is a need to protect seafood for future generations.

More than half (51 per cent) of Australian seafood eaters say they are worried about overfishing.

Aldi said it will work with suppliers to put in place an improvement action plan whenever it identifies risks in its supply chain. 

The company will also share a list of the fisheries used to source its seafood products last year, and include data around catch methods, certification status and environmental impact.

Baker said he believed retailers should be part of the solution rather than the problem, by committing to source food ethically.

He added there was already a strong commitment industry wide for more responsible sourcing.

“Many retailers are becoming more transparent than ever before and taking greater responsibility for creating sustainable practices in their supply chains,” he said. 

“We would encourage any company looking to provide a greater level of transparency to the public to join platforms such as the Ocean Disclosure Project.”