ASC-certified salmon on sale at S-Group's supermarkets in Finland.
Photo: S-Group.
Major Finnish retailer S Group has announced that all fresh and processed salmon products under its private label brands are now certified according to Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) standards.
The move, effective from April 2025, applies across the group's approximately 2,000 retail outlets across Finland.
"We are striving to increase the share of domestic fish and fish certified as responsible in our selection. Now, all fresh and processed salmon products in the S Group's own brand chain selection are ASC certified," said Iida Lehtimäki, a sustainability expert from S Group's supermarket business, in a Finnish language press release.
"The certification guarantees that the salmon used in the products has been raised in accordance with strict environmental and social responsibility criteria," Lehtimäki added.
According to S Group, the decision to certify its salmon products supports its fish procurement policy, which is guided by sustainability recommendations from WWF Finland and Sweden.
In addition to packaged products, S-Group said ASC-certified farmed salmon is also available at 79 fresh fish counters in Prisma hypermarkets and S-market stores, which hold both ASC and Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certifications. The group stated that it plans to increase the number of certified fish counters in the future.
"We want to do our part to ensure the sustainability of fish stocks and make it as easy as possible for our customers to make smart choices. We will continue to actively seek ways with our partners to further increase the number of sustainability-certified products in our selections. This work is not done alone, and the milestone achieved now is the result of long-term cooperation with our suppliers," Lehtimäki said.
“We are pleased to see a major retailer like S Group taking such decisive action to promote sustainable aquaculture,” said Ola Nyrinder, Market development manager for the ASC Nordics team, in a separate press statement from ASC.
“By choosing ASC labelled seafood, S Group is supporting responsible farming practices that protect ecosystems, ensure animal welfare, and uphold the rights and well-being of workers and local communities," Nyrinder added.
