Iceland Foods has become the first frozen food retailer globally to ensure that 100% of its own label wild fish and seafood is now sourced from Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certified fisheries.
British shoppers will now be able to enjoy fully certified sustainable seafood across all of Iceland’s own label range. This includes the retailer’s frozen, chilled and ready meal wild fish and seafood products.
Whilst shoppers may still find some products without the blue MSC ecolabel in store as existing packaging is run down, Iceland customers can expect to see the blue fish tick on all own-label products in store by January 2026.
“Our customers can now be confident that every own label product bearing the blue MSC ecolabel is sustainably sourced to the recognised independent standard,” said Richard Walker, executive chairman at Iceland Foods.
“That’s good for the planet, good for future generations, and it sets a global benchmark for what responsible retail should look like.”
‘Protecting Marine Ecosystems’
In a major milestone for seafood sustainability, Iceland expanded its MSC-certified product range from 30 to 46 in the financial year ending in April 2024, covering 73% of its products and ranking as the second-highest UK supermarket for MSC product coverage, according to the 2024 MSC UK and Ireland Market Report .
The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) is an international non-profit organisation dedicated to ending overfishing and protecting marine ecosystems. Products with the blue MSC ecolabel come from fisheries that meet strict sustainability criteria, giving consumers a powerful way to drive positive change for the oceans.
‘Strong Example’
“Iceland’s achievement is a significant step forward for sustainable seafood sourcing in the UK and beyond,” said Rupert Howes, chief executive of the MSC.
“This commitment to 100% MSC-certified wild fish and seafood sets a strong example for the global retail sector, demonstrating that sustainable sourcing at scale is possible.”