Liverpool, 1 October 2020 – John West has been named the winner of the Marine Stewardship Council’s (MSC) 2020 UK Canned Brand of the Year Award for the fourth year running. The annual MSC awards celebrate those safeguarding seafood supplies for current and future generations.

From tuna and mackerel to herring and salmon, John West has been awarded Canned Brand of the Year yet again for the number and volume of products certified as sustainable by the MSC and progress made against these two measures over the past financial year. The MSC blue label identifies fish and seafood caught by a certified sustainable fishery. John West has 37 MSC-certified sustainable products carrying the iconic Blue Fish label which are sold across UK retailers and small stores.

MSC award winners play a crucial role in supporting healthy and sustainable oceans by offering an ever-growing choice of sustainable seafood to UK consumers. The proliferation of the MSC-labelled products demonstrates John West’s commitment to sustainability and responsible sourcing.

Seth McCurry, MSC Commercial Manager, UK & Ireland, said:
“Winning this category for a fourth year in a row is great testament to John West’s continued commitment to bringing a wide range of MSC products to the UK market. In a time when supporting sustainable fisheries is more important than ever, it is great to see John West providing British consumers with many certified sustainable options in the ambient space.”

This year, SeaChange®, the global sustainability strategy of Thai Union, John West’s parent company, achieved its commitment of ensuring that a minimum of 75 per cent of Thai Union’s branded tuna is sourced from fisheries that are either MSC certified, or engaged in Fishery Improvement Projects (FIPs) to move them towards MSC certification – one year of ahead of schedule.

Paul Stephenson, Managing Director, John West Food Ltd, said:

“We are thrilled to be awarded Canned Brand of the Year by MSC. As a leading supplier of fish and seafood, we’re committed to sourcing responsibly, making sure our oceans can be a home to fish for future generations to enjoy forever. Significant work is underway to update SeaChange® as we continue our sustainability journey beyond 2020 and into the new decade. It’s incredibly important to us that we help drive positive change in the industry and champion more sustainable seafood choices.”

Due to the impact of the global pandemic, the annual awards ceremony for 2020 was a virtual event streamed from the National Marine Aquarium in Plymouth on 30th September.