What is Food Lover’s Market Sustainable Seafood Policy?
At Food Lovers Holdings, we take our responsibility as a retailer seriously. We recognise the global concern surrounding the over-exploitation of marine resources and the environmental impacts that fishing and aquaculture activities have on marine ecosystems and habitats.
As a significant player in the seafood industry, we are committed to driving positive change in fisheries by ensuring our procurement strategy aligns with our WWF-SASSI commitments. We aim to support and promote sustainable seafood choices from legally and responsibly managed sources, creating market-driven incentives for sustainable seafood to catalyse positive change at sea.
Defining Sustainable Seafood
Food Lovers Holdings defines sustainable seafood as products that are:
- Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certified fishery for wild-caught species
- Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) certified farm (or equivalent certification) for farmed species
- Are categorised as Green on the WWF-SASSI list
- Or, sourced from fisheries that are actively engaged in a credible time-bound fishery improvement project.
- seafood which originates from fisheries or farms that can operate indefinitely without harming target species or marine ecosystems,
- the target species not being of conservation concern, endangered or threatened,
- seafood being caught in well-managed fisheries by registered commercial fishers,
- utilising responsible fishing or farming methods, and
- ensuring traceability from “boat/farm to plate”.
- Follow the SANS1647 voluntary labelling standard
Food Lover’s Holdings’ Principles for Sustainable Seafood
As responsible retailers/suppliers, Food Lover’s Market adheres to the following principles:
- all seafood should be traceable to its origins, using suitable traceability schemes or mechanisms.
- all seafood on offer should be legal (no Illegal or Unreported or Unregulated [IUU] products).
- sustainable choices should be promoted, and staff should be adequately trained to help consumers make sustainable choices.
- seafood product ranges should be subject to continuous improvement, and any new seafood products should be considered against strict legal, traceability, and sustainability criteria.
- retailers and suppliers should communicate their sustainability commitments to the public and be held accountable to them.
- all existing and new suppliers of seafood products will be required to complete the Food Lovers Holdings (Pty) Ltd Sustainable Seafood Questionnaire and Trading Terms and Conditions.
Therefore, Food Lover’s Holdings will ensure that the guidelines outlined in the Sustainable Seafood Policy are communicated to all current and future suppliers and consumers to ensure adherence to the policy.
You can read more about some of our small suppliers: Supporting Small Scale Seafood Suppliers or you can view our latest results from the WWF retailer participation scheme in the annual sustainability report.
