Loblaw takes next step in meeting 2013 goal to source all seafood sold in
its stores from sustainable sources
BRAMPTON, ON, Feb. 4 /CNW/ - The fresh seafood counters at select Loblaw
Companies Limited (Loblaw) stores look a little different today as the
Company takes steps to meet its goal to source all fish and seafood sold in
its stores from sustainable sources by the end of 2013. Sustainable seafood
means that the type of seafood caught can maintain or increase its population
in the future without harming the ecosystems from which they come.
Starting today, at select corporate stores across the country, customers
will notice empty trays at the seafood counter, where fish the Company has
identified as "at risk" were once displayed. The goal is to create a visual
message to help educate customers about sustainable seafood choices. Once a
viable sustainable product can be found the trays will be filled.
"As Canada's largest buyer and seller of seafood, Loblaw has taken a hard
look at the challenges facing the world's oceans and what it means to us,"
said Paul Uys, Vice-President, Fresh Foods, Loblaw Companies Limited. "We
believe it's critical that Canadians understand this important issue, and the
changes at our fresh seafood counters are among the first steps we have taken
to educate customers as to why Loblaw is committed to sourcing all seafood
sold in our stores from sustainable sources."
Loblaw is working with partners such as WWF-Canada and the Marine
Stewardship Council (MSC) as well as marine scientists, conservation experts
and fisheries to meet its commitment.
"Research is telling us that a lot of the fish and seafood we eat are
seriously depleted because of overfishing and other unsustainable fishing
practices," said Dr. Jeffrey Hutchings, Professor of Biology and Canada
Research Chair in Marine Conservation & Biodiversity at Dalhousie University,
and an advisor to Loblaw. "We live in the country with the longest coastline
in the world and our rich heritage in fishing extends back more than 500
years. As Canadians, we cannot afford to ignore our collective responsibility
to recover the health of what lives in the oceans. We need to better educate
ourselves so that we can make better choices when eating seafood and products
that contain seafood as an ingredient."
To help Canadians make better choices, in addition to the changes to the
fresh seafood counter, Loblaw will offer sustainable seafood guides in-store,
promote products certified by MSC in the February 2010 President's Choice(R)
Healthy Insider's Report(R), and host a new Facebook page,
www.facebook.com/LoblawSustainableSeafood, to share information about
Loblaw's seafood sustainability commitment and progress.
"Healthy oceans are important to both marine ecosystems and species that
live there, as well as the fishing communities that depend on them. We can
all help by purchasing sustainably sourced seafood," said Gerald Butts,
President and CEO, WWF-Canada. "We are excited to be working with Loblaw to
help them achieve their goal of 100 per cent sustainable seafood by 2013.
They are showing globally significant leadership on this critical issue.
About Marine Stewardship Council (MSC)-Certified Products
Customers are urged to look for products carrying the MSC ecolabel
indicating the product is sustainably sourced. MSC is an independent
international non-profit organization that has developed the world's leading
environmental standard for independent, third-party scientific certification
of sustainable and well-managed wild-capture fisheries. Available today,
Loblaw is launching three new MSC certified President's Choice (R) Blue
Menu(TM) products:
- President's Choice(R) Blue Menu(TM) Wild Albacore Tuna Mini Loin
Portions
- President's Choice(R) Blue Menu(TM) Wild Keta Salmon Cakes
- President's Choice(R) Blue Menu(TM) Encrusted Wild Keta Salmon
Fillets in two flavours - Lemon & Cracked Black Pepper and Tomato and
Basil
This will bring the total number of MSC certified products available in
Loblaw stores to sixteen. Loblaw is the largest seller of MSC certified
products in Canada. Additional information about these new products is
available in the February 2010 President's Choice(R) Healthy Insider's
Report(R), currently available in-store.
About Loblaw Commitment:
Loblaw's sustainable seafood commitment is driven by its corporate social
responsibility pillar, source with integrity. In May 2009, Loblaw made a
commitment to source all seafood sold in its retail locations from
sustainable sources by the end of 2013. This commitment covers all canned,
frozen, fresh, wild and farmed seafood products, in all categories.
For more information about Loblaw's commitment to sustainable seafood,
please visit www.loblaw.ca/seafood and
www.facebook.com/LoblawSustainableSeafood.
About Loblaw Companies Limited
Loblaw Companies Limited, a subsidiary of George Weston Limited, is
Canada's largest food distributor and a leading provider of drugstore,
general merchandise and financial products and services. Loblaw is one of the
largest private sector employers in Canada. With more than 1,000 corporate
and franchised stores from coast to coast, Loblaw and its franchisees employ
over 139,000 full-time and part-time employees. Through its portfolio of
store formats, Loblaw is committed to providing Canadians with a wide,
growing and successful range of products and services to meet the everyday
household demands of Canadian customers. Loblaw is known for the quality,
innovation and value of its food offering. It offers Canada's strongest
control (private) label program, including the unique President's Choice(R),
no name(R) and Joe Fresh Style(R) brands. In addition, the Company makes
available to customers President's Choice Financial(R) services and offers
the PC(R) points loyalty program.
/NOTE TO PHOTO EDITORS: A photo accompanying this release is available at
http://photos.newswire.ca. Images are free to accredited members of the
media/
For further information: about Loblaw's sustainable seafood commitment and
in-store changes, or to speak to an expert about sustainable seafood please
contact: Karen Gumbs, Senior Manager, Corporate Affairs, Loblaw Companies
Limited, (905) 459-2500 ext. 616041, karen.gumbs@loblaw.ca; Melita Vega,
Senior Consultant, Hill & Knowlton, (416) 413-4743,
melita.vega@hillandknowlton.ca